Evil's Victory
by Zoram Selrof
Summary: When a "Darkloid" is about to end with Hikari Netto and Rock Man, "Nebula" decides to capture them to later turn them into their pawns but they didn't count on the inteference of another party who had similar goals regarding Netto and Rock Man. They escape from the fire to fall into the frying pan, so as to speak. Will they be able to escape from this guy? Rated M for torture.
1. Chapter 1: Video Man Wins

**Evil's Victory**

**By Zoram Selrof**

**Chapter 1: Video Man Wins**

14:08 PM (Japan Time), Saturday March the 10th, 2005…

"… Ya~h!"

"Don't look away on a record!"

"Hell!"

Hikari Netto stood up from having fallen to his fours and grumbled under his breath.

He was using his "Cross Fusion" form and standing inside of the main hall of a theater building the environment of which was surrounded by a "Dimensional Area": his opponent stood in front of him.

_This jerk…! This "Darkloid" jerk named Video Man…! He's making me get annoyed! As if that Sharo guy named Laika who'd come today wasn't enough! Saying I'm an idiot! And now he runs off saying he'll fight! He'll get himself killed! What - a – genius! _

The "Darkloid" known as Video Man was over a meter and sixty tall: his face was colored black and his eyes' irises were colored green.

He had a metallic structure set around and atop the head which included two dials on the sides of it and three connection ports colored yellow, white and red from left to right.

His main color was black but he had a "play" symbol colored green set on the middle of the chest with two round buttons on both sides of it: a shape reminiscent of the Alphabet letter "V" was set above the "play" symbol plus a round circle drawn around on the base of his neck.

His shoulders were shaped like spheroids but were different: the left one was gray metallic while the right one was black with a red dome-shaped piece set atop them.

His arms' "skin" was black in color, too, but he had two parallel circular green stripes set slightly beneath the shoulder: his forearms were metallic and had some kind of tape set on them which interconnected with each other: his hands were colored black, too, and had no outstanding features on either of them.

The rest of his torso was colored black and it had another green-colored shape reminiscent of the Alphabet letter "V" set on it towards the spot where a person's stomach would be at.

His legs had four small "V" shape stripes set on a vertical row around the hips: four of them.

Another two circular stripes parallel to each other were placed around the knees and on the ankles: his feet were shaped like rectangles.

Overall, he looked like a moving VHS playback machine.

"… Mini Bomb!"

"CF" Netto stood up, formed the Mini Bomb, and threw it at his opponent.

"Fast Forward!"

Video Man moved towards the point where the bomb would fall and kicked it back with his hands as if he was playing volley ball.

"Have at you!"

He dashed and appeared right in front of "CF" Netto.

"Wind Cutter!"

The bomb landed behind "CF" Netto, and the explosion sent him flying: Video Man shot a whole roll of video tape and hit "CF" Netto thus sending him flying again: he crashed against a tree and sat on the ground while rubbing his body.

"Netto – kun! We have to get closer to him!" Rock Man advised.

"I've got it! Long Sword!"

_Hope that works…_

He jumped and tried to hit Video Man but he only had to use the tape between his armlets to block it.

"That's…!" Rock Man uttered.

"Impossible!" "CF" Netto exclaimed.

Video Man pushed him backwards and he ended up sitting in the ground again.

"Given how it's got "rare metal" on it then my ultra-high grade videotape won't be cut so easily!"

"Hell. What should we do?"

"Of course! Aqua Sword!" Rock Man exclaimed.

"But… A sword won't work…!" He argued.

"It'll be fine!" Rock Man insisted.

"I get it! Aqua Sword!"

"CF" Netto moved it forward and it got caught on the tape again.

"Hah! Didn't I say it was useless?" Video Man grinned.

"I wonder about that!" Rock Man exclaimed.

The tape began to be filled with drops of water.

"Uo~h!" Video Man uttered in terror.

The "play" symbol on him turned red, became intermittent, turned off and became a "stop" symbol.

"We did it!"

"Eh? What's going on?" Netto had still not understood the logic of it.

"Grr… It should be written in the instruction manual! "Moisture's the worst thing for a tape"! I won't let you get away with that!" Video Man proclaimed: he began by looking at the ground and looking pissed off at the next moment.

He moved very quickly and appeared behind "CF" Netto.

"Crap!"

"Loading!"

He began to expel tons of magnetic tape which wrapped around "CF" Netto thus choking him: he tried to pull it out with his hands.

"Quick Load!"

"CF" Netto was electrocuted.

"When my tape comes to an end, Rock Man's life will also end! Something you couldn't do with a DVD!"

_Ugh! Don't screw… me!_

"Good! That anguish in your face will be the last thing of your hide which will be forever preserved!"

The tape began to cover "CF" Netto's mouth.

"Ne… Netto – kun…" Rock Man muttered.

"P-painful…!"

"Heh, heh, heh. Heh… In a few moments you'll be at peace…"

The tape was reaching its end.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh…"

"… Video Man. Strategy: change." A voice came in through his radio band all of a sudden.

"What." He looked annoyed.

"Don't you desire _two_ "Dark Chips"?"

"Two "Dark Chips"!"

"Here's one…"

A "Dark Chip" materialized in front of his noses and spun around the axis.

"And the other one will be your prize if you bring them alive."

"Roger, _Danna_… How do I get there?"

"Leave it to me. Dimensional Converter: Transfer."

A white vertical shaft of light formed on Video Man's feet and shot skywards: his body began to slowly disappear along with that of the almost-dead "CF" Netto.

_Heh, heh, heh, heh…_

The air suddenly rumbled: the "Dimensional Area" became unstable and began to break down and fade away.

"… Hum. Huh?"

Sharo "Net Savior" Laika, Search Man's Operator, stepped into the room, and, although, he kept a serious look to him, it was obvious that he was expecting to find Netto there.

"I destroyed the "Dimensional Converter"… The "Darkloid" should've been removed. Where are they at? Search Man! Search for living signatures."

"Roger, Laika – sama."

_Where did they go off to?_

"… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… Here I am, _Danna_…"

"Good work."

Video Man materialized inside of the mysterious command room of "Nebula" in front of the enigmatic leader's chair: he kept on being mostly hidden by the poor lighting of the room but Yuriko, the "Nebula" agent, could be seen standing at his right.

"Release them."

Video Man loosened the tape and let the unconscious "CF" Netto hit the floor out of free fall.

"Transfer into the Cyber World."

"Roger."

The "Dimensional Area" faded and Video Man dematerialized to appear in that capsule across the room.

"Prize."

The man pressed the typical armrest button and another "Dark Chip" appeared in front of Video Man.

"_Thank you_!"

"In exchange…"

"Yes? What is it, _Danna_?"

"I'll grant you a new target."

"Hum! Who is it?"

"A bothersome "Net Savior"… Blues. Delete them. If you succeed I'll give you more "Dark Chips". Oh. And don't tell Shade Man."

"Please leave it up to me. Heh, heh, heh."

Video Man transferred out of the capsule while Netto's "Cross Fusion" broke apart and his reformed PET II hit the floor: Yuriko picked it up and looked at the screen: Rock Man was there but he seemed to be unconscious.

"How odd…"

"What?"

"Rock Man seems to have lost consciousness too."

"True… Maybe it's a result of the damage."

"What do I do with the _boy_, sir?"

"Tie them up in a chair and blindfold them. But hand that PET over: I'll start the analysis."

"Roger, sir."

Yuriko handed the man the PET II and he opened a drawer built-in on the right armchair: he placed the PET II and it closed up: a holographic screen popped out and displayed the two typical white rings used for Navi repairs or analysis.

"Good. I'll soon figure out their potential."

Yuriko sat Netto on a chair and lowered his bandana to act as improvised blindfold: she then tied his wrists with cello-tape and his ankles before passing two bands around the chest to secure him there.

"Good. Tee, heh, heh."

… _Netto – kun… Netto – kun… Chut. Don't move._

_Huh… Ugh… Huh? Rock Man… No… Wrong… Saito – niisan…_

_Yes. That's me. But don't move._

_I'm alive?_

_By mere inches…!_

_What happened?_

"_Nebula"…!_

"_Nebula"…?_

_They abducted us._

_The hell!_

_Chut. Don't move it. Yuriko's watching you._

_What's going on?_

_You're blindfolded and tied to a chair right in front of the Boss. The guy is analyzing my Navi frame. But he'll end up disappointed._

_Why's that?_

_I've picked a fourth of my "Ultimate Program" along with my whole consciousness and hid here, in your head._

_As a split personality, you mean to say?_

_Yeah. Look. When the man figures out those two things aren't there he'll obviously question you. If he starts to use force on you then say it's a trick Papa set up and that you "think" that I'm at the Science Labs or the Net Police HQ._

_Alright, I get it._

_But he can't figure out I'm your head because I slipped in using a common bandwidth signal which is but one of the several around here: there's Wi-Fi and satellite uplink and downlink asides from cell-phone carrier. It's hard to figure out each piece of data travelling through them._

_I see! As expected of niisan!_

_Oh please. Don't praise me. It's something you end up figuring out after 6 years of living in the Cyber World._

_Guess Laika will notice I'm missing…_

_Yeah. But it won't take long to find Video Man._

_Why?_

_They've ordered him to go delete Buruusu_.

_Blues, huh. He won't be caught with the pants down so easily._

_Surely not... But it's picking me._

_What is?_

_The man said "Oh. And don't tell Shade Man"… Sounds like there's someone else in charge but that he's approaching the "Darkloids" using "Dark Chips" as bait… Maybe that's why Beast Man appeared on the Sea Tower last Monday. And maybe his use of "Dark Chips" was what caused him to turn odd._

_Guess that. But… Shade Man… What does "shade" mean?_

_Huh? Shade? Well… It's the blocking of sunlight by any object and the shadow created by them… Like when a tree is on the way of the sunlight… _

_So it's not the shade as "shadow"?_

_No. I know they're similar in wording but they're two things apart. You know, that spot next to a tree where it's cool and all…_

_Oh! Now I see. Well. I think I've heard the name before…_

_Yeah? Wait. Huh… Ah!_

_What?_

_Remember! The day when Beast Man assaulted the Science Labs…_

_Oh! That "Darkloid" who looked liked a vampire and who stole 7 of Papa's "Synchro Chips" before calling on Beast Man…! _

_Yes! That's what I meant. That guy must surely be the Boss of the "Darkloids" but "Nebula" is trying to bribe them into doing the dirty work for them. Maybe there's some deal between them. "Nebula" must be the one giving them the "Dimensional Converters" to materialize. But Beast Man was boasting about how they'd rule it all if there weren't any humans… That's a rather odd behavior for even an independent model Net Navi… Independent or not they've been created by humans. They should be grateful of that. _Saito exposed.

_You've got a point there. _

"… What does this mean?"

"Huh? Eh… What's wrong, sir?"

"… I see… Hikari Yuuichirou… A cautious researcher he is…"

"Do excuse me?"

_They've found about the trick and it'd seem the Boss thinks it's some trick Papa set up because he was being careful. If he asks then say yeah, it is, and then say you believe I'm at either the Net Police HQ or the Science Labs… Try to sound nervous and all and he'll get cocky._

_Get cocky? Sure! If he gets cocky he won't think it twice and he'll go hit both places to end up empty-handed._

"… Yuriko. Wake the boy."

"Roger, sir."

Yuriko pinched his right cheek and he immediately woke up: he coughed in a violent manner for some seconds before starting to pant and try to draw breath in.

"Huh… W-where am I?"

"Heh. "Nebula"." Yuriko grinned.

"You're… Yuriko! Mariko – sensei's younger twin sister…!"

"Oh. So she remembered about me."

"You've split away?"

"True. I was always the _bad girl_ type. But enough of me... _Danna_ has some questions for you."

"Hikari Netto."

"Y-you're the Boss of "Nebula"?"

"Where's Rock Man's consciousness and missing one fourth of his "Ultimate Program"? Tell me or you'll regret it. There's a trick set there: I know as much."

"W-well… I think that… on the Science Labs or… the Net Police HQ. Papa was very vague when he told me the trick he'd set up…"

"As expected of him: he's a cautious man… Yuriko. Send Needle Man to spy on the Science Labs. I'll see if I can use Burner Man to get into the Net Police HQ."

"Roger, sir. Plug In! Needle Man, Transmission!"

"Soon… We "Nebula" shall gain a new tool which will bring us overwhelming power… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah!"

_Yeah, laugh… Because I'll end up winning! Hikari Netto tells you that!_


	2. Chapter 2: Trouble

**Chapter 2: Trouble**

15:03 PM (Japan Time), Saturday March the 10th…

"… Heh, heh, heh, heh…"

"Shit."

"Wind Cutter!"

"Huh!"

"I'm invincible~!"

"Damn it."

Blues was fighting Video Man inside of the IPC Head Office's Cyber World and he was running into trouble to dodge his attacks: a purplish-tinted "aura" had formed around his body and it was obvious what it meant: Blues growled something under his breath.

"Heh, heh, heh! Thanks to the "Dark Chips"… I'm invincible~! You're FIRED!" He laughed.

"You lowlife are the one who's fired." Blues shot back.

"Program Advance! Blues!"

"Program Advance!"

"Sword, Wide Sword, Long Sword!"

"Dream Sword!"

Blues flung the Dream Sword at Video Man.

"Wind Cutter!"

His attack cut through it and hit Blues fully.

"Gra~h!"

He landed, hard, on the ground and groaned: Video Man loomed over him and looked psychotic by now given the reddish glow to his irises and his smug smile on his face.

"Mwah, hah, hah, hah! If I delete you… I'll get more "Dark Chips" as reward from the "mysterious man"!"

"What "mysterious man"?" Ijuuin Enzan demanded.

"The leader of those "Nebula" guys, see~!"

"Hmpf. I thought as much…"

"Huh? That voice…"

A group of bats suddenly formed out of nowhere and fused to give way to the "Darkloid" Shade Man: he looked pretty annoyed today and Video Man gulped as he stepped back.

"Shade… Shade Man – sama!"

"DIE~! YOU TRAITOR!"

He suddenly plunged his right claw through Video Man's body and formed a smug smile.

"Groa~h!"

"What in the… What's going on?" Blues wondered.

"Seems like that guy was trying to switch sides…"

Video Man's form was deleted and only raw data was left behind: Shade Man grinned and extended his wings.

"Now… Those guys are next… You lowlifes come later!"

He became bats again and flew away while Blues looked somewhat confused as to what was going on.

"You're Blues?"

"Huh? Who are you?"

"Sharo "Net Savior" Search Man…"

"Ah. You were involved in an incident with this guy a while ago along with Rock Man, true… You were chasing the guy?"

Search Man came in and Blues lowered his sword.

"Yes. But that's because Rock Man and Hikari Netto have been seemingly abducted by them."

"What!" Enzan gasped.

"Damn it! And before we could interrogate them their boss had to come and delete them… What do we do now?"

"I've gotten sighting reports of a Net Navi named Needle Man." Search Man announced.

"Ah! Rock Man reported about the guy… They're a member of "Nebula", the organization behind the "Dark Chips"…" Enzan recalled.

"So. You're Ijuuin Enzan?" Laika asked through his window.

"Yeah. Where was Needle Man sighted at?"

"Around the outer firewalls of the Science Labs… He just seemed to be listening into the security staff's talk."

"Hum. Suspicious… Unless… Ah! The trick! I see!"

"Trick? What trick?"

"Hikari – hakase came up with it foreseeing they could try to capture Rock Man and transform him into a "Nebula" Net Navi… His consciousness file and a fourth of his "Ultimate Program" are transferred out of the body and into a secure location…" Enzan explained.

"Impressive!" Laika was surprised, for once.

"Rock Man is a unique Navi: don't judge him by his looks or behavior, Search Man." Blues warned him.

"I'll try to." He merely replied.

"So let's spread a rumor that he's been dispatched to the Net Police HQ in form of a package… And we'll lure them in!"

"I approve of that strategy. Let's go, Search Man!"

15:17 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Shah, shah, shah!"

"So?"

"Well! They said a "very delicate package" had been dispatched via a messenger to the Net Police HQ…"

"So it was true."

Needle Man returned into Yuriko's PET II and she asked the results of his investigation which he reported.

"By the way…"

"Yes? What's up?"

"… Haven't you noticed? The temperature's dropped by 7 degrees ever since I've left. It's fallen from 19 Celsius to 12 Celsius." He reported with a frown.

"Why. I was thinking the room had turned cold but dismissed it. Some bug in the A/C control software?" She wondered.

"What do I do?"

"Check it out and fix it up. None of us want to slowly freeze although the A/C can't get lower than 10 Celsius."

"Shah, shah, shah! Roger."

"Ya called, _Danna_?"

Burner Man showed up on the capsule but he had an unimpressed face to him as if to prove he hadn't come to chit-chat.

"Yes. I have a mission for you. Here."

Two "Dark Chips" formed in front of Burner Man and he eyed them with amusement: he picked them with the right hand.

"If you want two more then break the Net Police HQ's firewalls. Needle Man will go along to retrieve something I wish."

"OK, _Danna_. Leave it to me. No – one stops me~! Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah!"

Burner Man laughed and came out of the system while the man formed a smug smile.

"Hmpf… No fail-safes can stand up to "Nebula"…"

"You heard the talk, Needle Man. Fix that and get moving."

"Shah, shah, shah! Yeah. I fixed it. But…"

"What now?"

"There was an access log: someone apart from me accessed it just an hour ago, see, Yuriko…" He reported with some concern.

"We'll settle that later."

"Alright. I'm going to the place. Shah, shah, shah!"

"… You wanna turn me into you guys' pawn, right?" Netto finally asked.

"Hmpf… Wasn't that obvious?"

"But that can't last forever. They'll find a way around."

"No doubt. But it'll be useful to stall for time."

"Time for what? To complete your plans?"

"Obviously."

"Hmpf… Those "plans" will soon be buried along with you lowlifes… I should've known better… What happened to Beast Man was something which you lowlifes staged for…" A voice rang out.

"Oh? Shade Man – kun." The man formed a smug smile.

Shade Man showed up on the cylinder but he was really pissed off by now given his face.

"You lowlifes… Trying to turn us into your puppets… The deal's over! I'll destroy each and everyone one of you lowlifes!"

"I refuse."

BEEP!

The man pressed a button and a Net Navi suddenly appeared behind Shade Man inside of the capsule.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh! Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh!"

"Who the…?"

"My name is Laser Man!"

"Laser Man, you say? That lowlife's puppet, huh… Isn't that right, you damned Net Navi?"

"Who knows?"

Laser Man was a tall Navi almost two meters tall and his main body color was black.

He had a diamond-shaped head which had a small white slit surrounded by a purple rim: a blue-colored vertical stripe crossed through it from the top and two more formed under the slit while the top of his head had a blue rectangle-like shape: each side of the head had a descending line which then branched into two and kept on running down both sides of his head.

He had two shirt-neck objects near the neck and a slightly curved stripe directly underneath the neck: another two vertical stripes were set on the sides.

Two slightly diagonal lines originated from the neck and ran until the knees.

A couple of lines shaped like ascending and descending triangles were set above and below his chest emblem.

The two main lines had two horizontal stripes set above and below the emblem connecting them: a thin and colorless vertical slit ran down the upper body through the middle of chest.

Another two diagonal thin lines marked the beginning of the shoulders from which two arms originated.

They had blue stripes running down its middle section from above and below before they formed a circle around the wrist.

Two black-colored gloved hands of five fingers each came out: each finger had two thin circular stripes above and below the middle section of them.

His main body ended in a slightly circular opening from which his two legs came out: they each had two vertical parallel stripes running down until the knee: each foot only had three fingers shaped like claw fingers and the rear part of each foot had a small ramp-like shape attached to it.

There was a triangle-shaped stripe set around the base of the fingers with another blue stripe around their base.

Two slightly curved extensions formed on his back slightly beneath the head: they had a general Alphabet U letter shape and each one had blue stripe running down its perimeter: these extensions ended into square openings: the insides of them were colored purple.

His chest emblem was a series of vertical stripes of several colors which stood for the light's specters: ultraviolet was set as the leftmost and it climbed up the scale until it reached the infrared.

Overall, the Navi looked powerful and imposing.

"DIE~!"

Shade Man tried to drive his right claw through Laser Man but he turned transparent: Shade Man gasped.

"3D image?"

"Correct! You foolish data living beings can't harm me." Laser Man's voice echoed out from inside of his head.

"You bastard… Fight me!"

"A weak "Darkloid" like you doesn't have the qualifications to become my adversary… Get lost." Laser Man replied.

He suddenly "warped" behind Shade Man and charged up energy on his tubes.

"Cross Laser!"

A blast of yellow energy shaped like a cross hit Shade Man from behind and opened a slight wound on his body: Shade Man growled and turned around to shoot his claw at Laser Man but he became transparent again and appeared behind Shade Man.

"Weak. Cross Laser!"

"Wuack! YOU BASTARD!"

"Hmpf."

"Shade Hand!"

A detached gigantic claw formed and tried to grip Laser Man but it only managed to grip another 3D image while Laser Man landed behind him with grace.

"Star Breaker Laser!"

He inclined his cannons to aim "skywards" and shot a reddish beam of energy which opened a vortex and some incandescent meteors began to rain down around Shade Man, inflicting damage and setting him on flames: he roared.

"… Hmpf… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…! I'll have you be at peace…! Cross…!"

"Hra~h! Red Wing!"

Shade Man suddenly became a flock of red bats and they flew to impact on Laser Man, forming some cuts on his body: Laser Man stepped back and suddenly became "transparent" again to reform behind Shade Man, who'd gained his normal form again: Shade Man turned around very fast and drove both claws into his upper body but Laser Man merely lowered his cannons.

"CROSS LASER! Max power!"

"Mugro~h!"

The close-quarters blast opened a big wound on Shade Man's upper chest and began to slowly leak data out: Shade Man grumbled and opened his wings to fly skywards.

"Hra~h!"

"Hmpf."

He dived for Laser Man but he merely lifted his right hand and shot a thin laser beam from the square on his palm: it pierced through the earlier wound and he growled as he dropped on the ground while clutching the wound: Laser Man loomed over him and suddenly kicked him away with the right foot to have him hit a wall where he got stuck.

"After all you "Darkloids" are but foolish data living beings which mistakenly dream on of ruling the Earth." He mocked.

"Y-you bastard…!"

"The final blow! Cross…!"

"Che! I'll remember this!"

Shade Man suddenly became data and warped out as Laser Man had begun to charge his attack: he merely stopped it and shrugged while remaining there.

"Foolish data living beings. Fate commands you to be ruled by humans and only humans!" He proclaimed.

"Hmpf. Good work, Laser Man."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Chance. Seize "it" before they're back there. The "Darkloids" will not object or rebel since I've already tempted them."

"Roger, My Lord."

"Starting today the Obscure Castle will be ruled by us "Nebula"… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" The man chuckled.

_Huh? Foolish data living beings…? Why would a Navi tell this to another Navi? Or is he programmed to behave like his Operator? His voice was identical to begin with… _Netto frowned.

_Maybe… Maybe they're more than Navis. Maybe they are a species of data living beings which formed on their own on the Cyber World…_

_Whoa! Is that even possible?_

_I have that hunch. That'd explain their behavior._

_True._

"Shah, shah, shah! Burner Man's cutting through the last firewall, but now those two "Net Saviors" have showed up to interfere!" Needle Man reported.

"Hmpf. So Video Man failed… And he must've talked too much. Hence why Shade Man figured it out…"

"… You lowlifes! Where's Rock Man at?" Blues could be heard questioning over the line.

"Answer us!" Search Man commanded.

"No – one stops me ~! Burning… JET!"

"Uack! Too fast…!"

"Mwah, hah, hah! This is the power of the "Dark Chip"!"

"Needle Attack! Messy Shooting!"

"Grah! This guy's starting to annoy me!" Blues growled.

"Struggle in vain… You'll soon be at peace." The man muttered.

"Tee, heh, heh, heh, heh." Yuriko giggled.

KZZZZZ!

"What? The communication channel has suddenly filled with "noise" and the signal's broken up… What happened? Whose work is this?" The man gasped.

"Mine." A voice replied.

_There's someone else? _

_But it seems they're another party altogether, Netto – kun._

They heard a sound of steel scratching against steel and someone's light footsteps walking in.

"Who are you, you freak?" The man demanded.

"… Hmpf."

_Is it me or I think I know that voice?_

"Huh! They warped! Where…?"

BLOF!

"Ugro~h!"

"Ah!"

"Take a nap."

THUD!

"Hmpf. This steel bar was useful. How does it feel to be kicked on the stomach and be brought down from your throne, _Danna_?"

"Y-you bastard…!"

"There's my prey."

_He's aiming for you, niisan!_

_Heck! Who are they?_

"… Huh? What's this? Consciousness file and a fourth of the "Ultimate Program" are missing? How's that possible?"

"Hah…! I know it… But I won't tell you lowlife…"

"Whatever. I now see why those two were in Net Police HQ. But they'll soon be here. I sent them the coordinates I hacked from your PC."

"W-what!"

"You guys are an eyesore to me. I favor the "Darkloids". They are the rightful Cyber World citizens." The attacker replied.

"You lowlife…! Who are you?"

"… "Gospel"…"

"_Gospel"! The organization Wily directed and which we defeated in December! True: Wily's whereabouts are unknown! _

_But didn't Wily say that "Gospel Shuryou" was a robot which he'd disabled? Why would he bother to fix it up? _

"… No! Wrong! You lowlife are… The person I was searching for…! That strong one…!" The "leader" realized.

_Strong one…?_

_Dunno. Wait. If we're talking about the end of "Gospel", then there's someone else which we should take into account…_

… _No way! But… They'd been deleted in front of our eyes!_

_But… When you stopped my "Bug Style" rampage then… All Navis absorbed by the "Gospel" Cybeast were released… Including Thunder Man and Blues… So why couldn't that guy be the same? Just because no – one saw him that doesn't mean he wasn't rebuilt._

"I've gained a wider world than Cyber Space!"

"Forte! The "Ultimate Program" Net Navi! Reincarnated Pharaoh Man…!"

_FORTE! _Both gasped.

"Oi, oi. Don't mix me with that guy. As far as I'm concerned he and I are two separate guys. I'm a trillion times better than the guy was. And cleverer, too…"

"You bastard… What's your game?"

"My game…? Well. I've got my own interests. But that's enough."

"D-damn it…! If only I'd bothered to…!"

"… Install materialization factors on Laser Man, then you could've materialized him, yeah. Too bad, _Danna_."

"YOU BASTARD!"

"It's time for a nap."

THUD!

"Alright… So as to open the drawer… Yeah. This button…"

Forte seemingly picked the PET II because Netto felt how he opened the pouch and put it inside: he then picked something which made a slight metallic sound.

"I know you're listening, Hikari Netto."

"F-Forte?"

"Yeah. That's me. I've been waiting for this moment. All's going as I'd calculated… Save for Rock Man's status… But something tells me those two grunts are fighting their way in there in vain… And that the "trick" to Rock Man is way more than that…"

"It's not like I'd know! I dunno how programming works."

"Sure, sure. But you'll be my VIP guest starting today… In my nice turf: where no interlopers will bother us… Huh?"

There was a beep and Forte remained silent for some seconds.

"Heh. The Net Police choppers are closing in the tanker's location. Well, well. These guys are over as of today. Heh, heh, heh. And now… _Happy dreams_, Hikari Netto!"

"Wha?"

Forte suddenly hit the back of his skull with the steel bar and Netto began to faint but could hear Forte making a giggle-like sound.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, ha~h!"


	3. Chapter 3: Turf

**Chapter 3: Turf**

17:17 PM (Japan Time), Saturday March the 10th…

"… O~w… My head… It aches!"

"Well. Blame me."

"Forte!"

"Welcome to club, my dear."

"What club?"

"Kidding."

Netto finally woke up and the first thing he noticed is that he was still blindfolded with his bandana: the second thing was that he only had his boxers on: third was that he was laying face-up on a bed and fourth was that his arms and legs had been spread and there were ropes tying them with the bed's legs thus impeding from escaping: Forte's sarcastic voice rang out close by too.

"What have you done to my clothes?"

"Don't worry… I just stored them in a box."

"Where am I?"

"In my turf…"

"What do you want?"

"Rock Man's secret."

"It's not like I'd tell you!"

"Why? Am I your enemy?"

"Of course! You attacked me and you've kidnapped me! Isn't that being an enemy in the first place?"

"Guess that."

"Don't screw me! What do you want to do to Rock Man?"

"Absorb his "Ultimate Program" and evolve into an even stronger existence… That's what. But I can't do that if he's missing one fourth of it and it ain't in the Net Police HQ. Speaking of that, Thunder Man suddenly came in and turned the tide. By the time Needle Man got back to Yuriko, the Net Police had arrested them. So "Nebula" is over. Laser Man's the ruler of the "Darkloids" now but he'll feel doubtful to act without orders from his beloved Bossy~…"

"Like I'd let you harm Rock Man!"

"I expected that answer. But I have something here which will make you think otherwise, Hikari Netto."

"Yeah? What's that? Veritaserum?"

"Ah. So you've read the _Harry Potter_ books. The 6th is coming out this year's summer, ya know, Hikari?"

ZAP!

"Grah!"

"This is a low-voltage taser. Enough to produce pain into you but to keep you conscious… And to interrogate you... You're a POW."

"P… POW?"

"_Prisoner of War.._. _Sensou __Horyo_." He announced.

"Fuck."

"And I'll say "screw you" to the Geneva Convention. This is my turf and I set my rules. Although… Ocelot would rather say you're a hostage: no – one's coming to rescue you there, on the midst of Alaska. So let terror and fear crawl into your persona and rule over your mind… Heh, heh!"

"We're in Alaska?"

"No. We're in Japan, my dear guest."

"You're being weird." Netto grumbled.

"More like I'm being dynamic…"

"Whatever."

"The ever…?"

"I won't tell you."

ZAP!

"Grah! Fight me!" He challenged.

"Nope. This is cooler. And it's useless to struggle against the ropes: they're brand-new and I've studied all about knots." He warned.

"Damn it! Enzan will make scrap outta ya!"

"Ijuuin? Hah. He's busy enough interrogating those "Nebula" guys along with that Laika guy… Come to criticize, have you?"

"Now you wanna act like Master Yoda?"

"Sure. Since _Episode III: Revenge of the Sith_ comes out on May the 19th, in about two months from now… We'll finally figure out why Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader and how the Empire rose to power. I'm burning with excitement. Aren't ya, Hikari?"

"Ask George Lucas – san!" He shot back.

"Good motto. But that won't stop me. And be glad I'm not using that weird machine Vader used in Han Solo on _Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back_. Heh, heh, heh."

ZAP!

"Guah! You're ugly!"

"Yeah, I know. Wily was fond of Goth Punks."

"Sure, sure." He was skeptical.

_Uh-unh… Netto – kun?_

_Saito – niisan! What happened?_

_Huh… My consciousness returned to Navi frame and…_

_What!_

_I had to make my way here but I was having it hard for some reason or another… Your brain activity is weird. What's going on?_

_Forte! He's tied me to a bed and is using some electrical device to torture me!_

_What!_

_He's trying to force me to confess the "secret" of the "trick" because he's figured out that you aren't in the Net Police HQ._

_Heck. If only I could materialize using a "Dimensional Area"… There's software to summon "Dimensional Converters" on my PET for some reason or another. It's connected to a laptop… I think it accidentally got copied there instead of another directory…_

_Or maybe it's bait to try to lure you out._

_Ah! I see! The jerk! I won't dance to his tune! What does he want out of me, anyway? _

_The "Ultimate Program"! He wants to absorb it and grow stronger!_

_Like I'd let the guy. He produced "Bug Style" into me even if he wasn't willing to and I know we beat "Gospel" but I almost swallowed up the whole Network…!_

"… Oi. Hikari. You've gone off to ask Dumbledore for advice?" Forte taunted.

"… Yeah. And he told me you're a novice when it comes to these. The Death Eaters would laugh at you." He formed a smug grin.

"Guess that, yeah…"

He heard him apparently standing up and walking away: the sound of a micro-wave heater rang out followed by a ping: a strong smell suddenly filled the air and Netto's stomach grumbled.

_Instant _udon _noodles! Man! My stomach's grumbling!_

_It's a trap, Netto – kun! He wants to force you to confess through your desire to eat them up!_

_Damn it! I can stand that taser thing but this…!_

"Heh, heh, heh. You want them, Hikari? Then confess."

"They can't rival with Meijin – san's brand! They have more spices: that's some Taiwan – imported pale imitator!" He improvised while sounding offended.

"Oh. Hurt your pride, I did?" He teased.

"You sure as Hell did."

"Heh, heh, heh, heh. I'm a genius."

"Sure, sure. Now go to Tokyo and try to find genuine _udon _noodles. Give that to the local cats." He challenged while tilting his head to the left as if to signal he didn't want to speak to him.

"Too bad. Well. Have it your way. I'll leave them here to cool off and I'll challenge Maha Jarama to come up with them."

_Damn it. I dunno how much time they need to cool off but their smell will be tormenting me for hours on no end! I know I had a decent meal on the cafeteria but my glutton instincts are taking over!_

_Hell. At this rate we won't even last 4 hours!_

"… _Hai!_ Welcome! You've just called Maha Niiban's."

_No way. He called Maha for real to Jawaii?_

"Hi there. Master Maha Jarama."

"Who is it?"

"A future sponsor…"

"O~h! What do you desire, sir?"

"_Udon _noodles. Couldn't you incorporate them into your regular menu, Master Maha Jarama?"

"Well. Why not."

"By the way. There's a neophyte over there, right?"

"Neo-what?"

"Neophyte."

"Do excuse me?"

"A novice..."

"Ah. Dekao, you mean? Well. Yes. But we'll eventually shake him off. He just brings us trouble."

"_NO! Go back_! We're not going to train _you_ in Net Battling anymore! Get it, _boy_?" Count Elec's accented voice rang out in the background.

"No~! Count Elec! I need to become stronger! I need to protect MY Meiru – chan!"

"Cha! Girls don't belong to cha! When will cha get that?" Iroaya Madoi complained next.

"GO BACK HOME!" Hinoken growled.

"Ah… What a nice atmosphere." Forte sarcastically told them.

"… Are you really a new sponsor?" Maha seemed to question that with obvious suspicions.

"Kidding. I'm the local tax inspector."

"I highly doubt it, sir."

"Maha Jarama – sama. This call comes from Japan, sir." Magic Man reported next.

"So? Who is it?"

"Mr. Universe."

"I'll cut the call if you don't have anything…"

There was a sound and Maha suddenly gasped.

"T-that's…! Hikari Netto!"

_Wha! I'm being shown onscreen?_

_Maybe he intends to make you get nervous?_

"Who are you?"

"Forte."

"Forte, you say!"

"Huh? Who's that?" Hinoken asked.

"Pharaoh Man's reincarnation…!" Madoi told him.

"What!"

"He's got Hikari Netto hostage!"

"No way!"

"Yeah. As you can see… He'll be my hostage for a while. This is a challenge: try to figure out my location. And since this call is encrypted you can't figure out anything about my location apart from the country. Heh, heh, heh, heh… _No pain no gain_!"

Forte seemingly cut the call and sat down in a chair while giggling under his breath: Netto didn't move from his pose but then felt the _udon_ noodles smell growing closer because Forte apparently placed them right next to his head: he turned the head to the right but found that it'd been placed there too.

"Heh, heh, heh. Can you still resist me, Hikari?"

"I will." He challenged back.

"Yeah… The show wouldn't be funny if you didn't struggle."

"This is a show?"

"Yeah. But I don't intend to starve you either. I'll just slot one hour each afternoon to question you. The rest of the time I'll let you play with the games on my laptop…"

"How generous of you…" He sarcastically replied.

"Heh, heh. You interest me, Hikari. And I want to prove I'm different to those savages out there…"

"Whatever."

"I've already drawn a daily schedule."

"So you'd planned all of this in advance?"

"I've had over two months, close to three… Plenty of time…"

"Che."

"Heh, heh, heh. I'll be spoiling you."

"I'm not Yaito."

"I know Ayanokouji's terribly spoiled but it ain't like I'll be giving you money to play with… No… I'll be giving you a pal."

"A pal..?"

"Which do you prefer? Fushigidane, Hitokage or Zenigame? Or maybe you prefer Kimori, Achamo or Mizugorou?"

"_Pocket Monsters Fire Red & Leaf Green_… And _Pocket Monsters Emerald_, you mean to say?"

"Or maybe you prefer to hunt "Shadow" and the "Dark Pokémon" through the Orre Region? They say that _Pokémon XD Dark Whirlwind: Dark Lugia_, sequel to _Pokémon Colosseum_, will come out this summer."

"You're into _Pocket Monsters_ too?" Netto sounded surprised.

"Yeah. There's a lot of math behind 'em and it amuses me."

"Whatever. I won't fall for your cheap tricks!"

Forte suddenly removed the bandana and Netto had to blink several times to get used to the light: he suddenly saw how Forte injected something using a syringe on one of his right arm's veins before throwing it into a rubbish bin next to the bed and giggling.

"What…?"

He simply unfastened the ropes around his wrists and ankles: Netto tried to sit up but found that his reactions were sluggish and slow: he had to use both hands as support.

"You've drugged me!" He realized.

"Sure."

"That's cheating." He grumbled.

"I know. But all's fair in war."

"Heck."

Forte then dropped a pair of folded navy blue pajamas next to him and Netto put them on before adjusting his bandana: Forte brought a wheelchair next.

"What! This drug turns me into an invalid or what?"

"It's not permanent."

"Damn. As much as I try to move, everything feels slow…!"

"Don't worry… The shower room has a stool there and I've set everything up foreseeing this _scenario_… It's my insurance against desperate attempts to escape… The entrance is digitally locked and you'd need Rock Man to unlock it but since he's missing his consciousness then you can't Operate him anyway…" Forte told him.

Netto grumbled and managed to put on the pajamas before sitting on the wheelchair and moving it towards a door Forte signaled: he opened it and entered a small bathroom which looked a hospital's one given how it was adapted: Forte signaled a pair of stools and then closed the door from the outside.

"Shit. I've never felt more powerless."

_I'm sorry, Netto – kun._

_Don't say nonsense, Saito – niisan! You're not to blame!_

_But…_

_Don't let that guy's traps affect you!_

_Ah… Well…_

_Listen. We'll find a way out. Enzan and the others will find us. All we have to do is resist and be strong. This guy wants to annoy us or drive us to exasperation and hope we'll confess to end it all. But I won't let him destroy you just to fulfill his ambition! We'll endure through it: and this time around, I'll be the one protecting you, niisan!_

… _Alright, Netto – kun… I'm sorry._

_I've been telling you it's not your fault._

_But it's because of me that you're suffering._

_And you think that you being deleted would end my suffering?_

_Ah! No!_

_See? You're getting stuck with the "it's my fault" and don't see that there's no other way around! And don't come with "I'm supposed to" next because there's no "supposed to" for this situation. The world isn't ruled by "supposed to"… You have to adapt yourself and improve! Papa told me that several times. So just remain here and be my guest._

_Alright… I'll try to be strong, too, for your sake, Netto – kun._

_There. Settled… _

Netto showered and cleansed his head and body before drying and putting on the same boxers and the pajamas he had on: he adjusted the bandana too and moved out of the room and into the main room which had the bed, a desk with a laptop set atop it, and his PET connected to a charger to its right: Forte wasn't around but he could hear him in nearby and apparently cooking something.

_Whatever. I won't give up so easily. I'll be strong, niisan!_

_Alright… I believe in you, Netto – kun…!_


	4. Chapter 4: Spoiling

**Chapter 4: Spoiling**

21:39 PM (Japan Time), Saturday March the 10th…

"… How could you?"

"Hmpf."

"How could you, as a researcher, do that?"

"Hmpf."

"Answer me! Dr. Regal!"

"Hmpf. Hikari Yuuichirou… You didn't see it coming?"

"Who would?"

Hikari Yuuichirou was discussing with the "Boss" of "Nebula", named Dr. Regal, in a Net Police HQ office.

Dr. Regal looked on his late thirties or close to his forties.

He had jet black hair and some of it ran down the sides of his head in two irregular strings while the rest grew until almost the base of the neck.

His right eye was blue while his left eye had a monocle with a purple rim set over it: the monocle's rim included an arrow pointing towards the left.

His face had some traces of a beard as well.

He wore a custom-looking dress consisting of an overall bright brown wool-like jumper with a grayish/brownish neck.

A purple sweater was set beneath it: the sweater had four small squares set on a row and he also sported wool-like purple-colored pants.

A pattern formed on the jumper's neck: a thick stripe run down the jumper before it divided into two curved stripes which formed a circle and then reunited into one: this process was repeated thrice.

Two incomplete circles were set near the wrists and the wrists had a rim of the same color which formed a curved-shape piece extending into the top of the palm.

He wore black leather-like gloves as well.

His hands were currently cuffed and he was resting them atop the desk while having a smug smile on his face: Yuuichirou looked furious and Commissioner Kifune looked on from a corner.

"What's your relationship with Wily?" Yuuichirou demanded.

"He's my foster parent."

"Foster parent! So you stole the technology from him and to improve it you decided to share it with me?"

"Yes. His two attempts at ruling the Network failed. First was Pharaoh Man's own pride which crushed him… And then it was Forte's indirect meddling… But I foresaw trouble. My fail-safes are in movement. Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" He chuckled.

"What fail-safes?"

"My Net Navi, Laser Man, rules over the "Darkloids" by now. And not even three Net Navis can stand up to 9 "Darkloids" and Laser Man himself. Heh, heh, heh, heh… He'll eventually complete my projects and he'll make sure that "Nebula" triumphs. Heh, heh, heh."

"What did you intend to do to my son, Regal!"

"Hmpf. By using brainwashing techniques and infecting Rock Man with "Darkloid factors" I'd turned them into useful agents… They'd kept your hands busy and stalled for time." He grinned.

"You lowlife…!"

"Go ahead, let anger and hatred rise… Show your true colors! Hah, hah, hah, hah!"

Yuuichirou looked about to fight Regal but he held it back and simply came out of the room slamming the door shut: Kifune then glared at Regal who shot back with a smug smile.

"Don't think any lawyers will save you, Dr. Regal. You'll be going to prison and no bribes will change that. I'll see to it!"

"Hmpf."

Kifune came out too and sighed: he then headed for another room which had a one-way viewing window: Enzan and Laika were there.

"Has Yuriko's ID been confirmed?" Enzan asked.

"Yes. She is, unmistakably, Oozono Mariko's younger sister. But here's something odd."

"What is it, sir?" Laika asked.

"She and Dr. Regal… They were written off as "deceased" in a plane accident 15 years ago."

"What!"

"It was pure luck we found this register because it was still printed and not in the Cyber World… All other registers have been deleted by now or modified… I think that they survived the plane accident… And they somehow met Dr. Wily… And he became their foster parent… We'll have to interrogate them again to see what we draw from them but I wouldn't be surprised if Wily is involved to begin with."

"I wouldn't be surprised, but… The problem is: where did Forte take Netto to?" Enzan grumbled.

"And will you tell me where are Rock Man's missing consciousness and fourth of his "Ultimate Program"? I know we made up that of the "package" to lure those guys in." Laika questioned.

"They're hiding a in a hidden directory within Rock Man's PET… And let's hope Forte doesn't realize that."

"Ah! Laika – kun… While I don't mind constructive criticism, shunning our technology or our "Net Saviors" is something which I won't agree on. I agree that today, the strategy of blowing up the power core of one "Dimensional Converter" worked, but… They'd eventually caught up with that and improved their devices to be immune to that trick. And I don't think Netto – kun lacks intelligence. He deserved his "Net Savior" badge and didn't get it out of any favors to begin with." Kifune scolded him.

"Ah! Hum… Well, sir… I…" He seemed to have been caught with his guard down.

"I've complained to your commanding officers already."

"… I understand, sir." He saluted.

"Remember: no insulting or our technology or intelligence. Like it or not, "Cross Fusion" is the only way to really fight back the materialized Viruses and "Darkloids"… And if Video Man hadn't been busy with another opponent, he'd been tracking you and stopped you from trying to disable the "Dimensional Area"… They're not stupid."

"Well, sir… It could be, but…"

"No more. We'll settle it on another day. Today I'm tired and nervous: do us a favor and analyze the logs of Mr. Maha Jarama's PET to try to figure anything about Forte's method to call him up."

"Roger, sir. Is that a mission, sir?"

"Priority One Mission. I'll be counting on you."

"Roger, sir!"

Laika came out while Enzan sighed and hung his head down.

"Enzan – kun. Try to explore the computers of "Nebula" to see if there are any hints as to what did they really pretend to do, the location of the "Darkloid" base and such."

"Roger, sir."

Enzan walked down a corridor while sighing.

_Netto… Where are you? Are you alright? _

"… Rock Man…" Blues muttered.

"I know… We'll rescue both of them no matter what it takes."

"Yes, Enzan – sama. And I know they won't give up so easily."

"Netto… I believe in you!"

22:08 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Well, well, well… Who was the Emperor of Mesopotamia in the year 666 BC? Or, rather, who was the Emperor of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in the year 666 BC, Hikari?"

"Dunno."

"Ashurbanipal."

"That's why I said I dunno."

"And of Mongolia…?"

"Dunno too."

"Gotcha."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"The Mongolian Empire didn't exist 'till the 13th century AD."

"It's not like I'd care."

Netto was sitting on the armchair although his arms had been tied to the armrests by three belts and another three kept his torso glued to it: Forte was sitting across him with the table on the midst and having the laptop in front of him: Netto looked indifferent.

"Heh, heh, heh. So. Ijuuin has made a move?"

"Made a move?" He frowned.

"Told you?"

"Tell me what? I had too many enemies which would harm me…? He was damned right! I almost died when I stepped into the trap that Desert Man jerk sprang up." He grumbled.

"Ah. Yes, yes. That was a dirty trap. But be glad that I decided to intervene and I hacked the Brain Storming program to make him believe his plan was flawless and such this is how you ended up here."

"Che. You mean to say you're the lesser of two evils?"

"Bravo. I'll praise you yet."

"Go to the Bahamas."

"I'd rather go to Baja California."

"Whatever."

"The ever."

"Che! Go challenge Matis, the Electric- Type Gym Leader of Kuchiba Gym in Kanto! And get the Orange Badge."

"Flash Man will challenge him 'long with Bright Man."

"Bright Man? I haven't that "Darkloid" yet."

"Too bad. He's cool."

"Yeah? Tell me why."

"'Cause his motto is "yay! _Check it out_!_"_ to begin with."

"And he's Electrical Attribute too."

"Wasn't it obvious? Magnet Man and Elec Man will fight them too and Thunder Man will join them to create the Five-Way-Shockingly-Electrical-Battle. Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh." He joked.

"Magnet Man got deleted in December."

"Yeah. But Gauss Magnets is still at large."

"What? I thought they'd caught the guy back then."

"Nope. He grew wings and flew off to Miami Beach."

"You really are the smug type, huh? It's thanks to Rock Man that you're still around to begin with." Netto calmly told him.

"I knew it, Mr. Smith."

"Save up the nicknames for that wig."

"Sure, Wiggins."

"Who's that?"

"The head of the Baker Street Irregulars…"

"Wasn't that a group of street urchins in Holmes' tales which act as agents to collect information?" Netto seemingly recalled.

"Yep."

"Oi. Don't compare me to a street urchin!"

"Too bad."

"Go to Mt. Snaeffeljökull."

"Whoa. How did you memorize such a complicated name?"

"I heard it on TV when they talked about Jules Verne's _Journey to the Center of the Earth_." Netto admitted with a shrug.

"Intriguing, by Meijin – sama."

"You've made that up on the spot."

"Let's check it out."

"Check out what?"

Forte picked a brownish PET II with his emblem on it and inputted some commands there: he covered the camera and upper part of the PET with a black piece of cloth.

"Hello there~! You're fortunate, _Danna_! You're the 666th customer to our _ramen_ knock-out store: the KO Ramen! Thus you win a trip!"

"Wow! Where to…?" Meijin asked.

"To your imagination, Mejin – sama – san – dono - chan – han – kun – sensei – hakase – kyoju – buchou – kaichou – shachou."

"W-w-w-WHAT?" Meijin uttered in disbelief.

"Which of those was wrong, Meijin – shachou?"

"_Shachou wa iranai_!"

"Meijin – _kaichou_!"

"_Kaichou wa iranai_!"

"Meijin – _buchou_!"

"_Buchou wa iranai_!"

"Mr. Meijin!"

"_Misutaa wa iranai_!"

"Meijin The Rock!"

"The Rock? What's that supposed to mean, you prankster?"

"Ask your imagination, Mejin Tai – sa."

"_Tai – sa wa iranai_!"

"Major Ocelot tells you you're in a tight spot."

"Major Ocelot…? _Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater_…?"

"Yessir. Here's a cultured fella."

"Cultured fella… Who are you, huh?"

"Your worst nightmare: the incarnation of randomness!"

"What in the… Look, if you're just gonna…"

"Oho. Not so fast, _aibou_. The public wants to say something."

He suddenly removed the cloth covering the camera and made it face Netto: he gasped and Netto also did the same.

"Netto – kun!"

"Meijin – san…!"

"… _San wa iranai_." He drily replied.

"Tell Papa I won't give up so easily! This guy wants Rock Man's "Ultimate Program"! But I won't tell him the trick! Search for any underground refuges or hideouts! You'll come up with something!"

"Netto - kun!"

"Ops. Ran out of credits…"

Forte suddenly cut it and Netto directed a really angered face at him: Forte giggled and seemed to be amused.

"Yeah… That's the face I wanted to see… Your face which says you'll be stubborn and won't give up no matter what happens…"

"Hmpf."

"Let's go buy a PDP."

"PDP?"

"Plasma Display Panel AKA Plasma TV."

"Ah. I'd heard of those."

"Do you why the UFO sucked up Internet City data and left it almost all deleted? It's still being rebuilt."

"No. Beast Man was there but that's all we know."

"The UFO became a "castle" for the "Darkloids" which landed in the depths of the Cyber World… A new base from the small one they used to have… And "Nebula" needed the Navi's data too for a sinister end. To power up "Dimensional Converters"…"

"What! Those things work by using Navis?"

"Yes. Their HP are sucked up and turned into energy until they die. About 8 to 10 Navis are sacrificed for each "Converter"…"

"Horrible…! Too horrible…!" Netto gasped.

"What can you expect of Wily's foster son, anyway?"

"Foster son! So Wily _was _involved?"

"Not exactly. He's just looking on from the background while trying to see if it's worth it trying something again or leaving it up to the guy. They haven't seen each other since 11 years ago anyway."

"And where does Yuriko come into this?"

"Ah! Yuriko… It'd seem she was also raised by Wily as a foster daughter along with the boss but they then made a pact and ditched Wily. There wasn't much more on their computer."

"And what's the guy's name?"

"Dr. Regal. From King Land… The developer of "Super Energy"… And he also cooperated with your father in building the "Dimensional Converters"… He wanted to start a competition between them."

"That was a competition?" Netto growled.

"Guess so."

"Damn it. I'm glad they're gone from the picture."

"But that's thanks to me. Otherwise who knows how much many months this would've taken…"

"Che. Whatever. Aren't these restrains pointless if my muscles are drugged to begin with?"

"Safety. The drug takes more or less time to fade with each time so I want to make sure you can't suddenly jump into me and try to disable my robot body… Because then I'd be in a pinch, really…" He muttered.

_Don't fall for that. I'm sure he's installed those "materialization factors" already and could come out with a "Dimensional Area"… He's trying to get you confident, Netto – kun. _

_Alright. I'll play along to make him believe on that. _

"Yo. Hikari! To Imagination Land, have you gone off to?"

"And what if…?"

"Heh, heh, heh. No big deal. _Imagine_~, as John Lennon said…"

_Forte! You won't get away with your ambition. I'll crush it!_

_Yeah! As long as we're together… We'll overcome this!_


	5. Chapter 5: Daily

**Chapter 5: Daily**

08:19 AM (Japan Time), Sunday March the 11th…

"… Uh… Unh… Huh… Fua~h…"

Netto stretched and slowly woke up: he sat up and looked around but since the room was rather unlit then he couldn't see much.

_Weird. Even with the curtains there should be some sunlight…_

He looked around again and frowned: he then spotted the wheelchair and gasped as he seemingly remembered.

_Damn it. I'd forgotten. I'm Forte's hostage. And I won't be free until I tell him the "trick" to Saito - niisan's missing consciousness and piece of the "Ultimate Program"… Whatever. Let him take all the days he wants: I'll NEVER tell the likes of him! He'd kill niisan just go gain power!_

He sluggishly sat on the wheelchair and made his way to the bathroom: he washed his face and rubbed his eyes to be fully awake: he then moved out into the main room where he heard Forte humming a tune as he seemingly prepared breakfast in the kitchen: Netto tried to look unimpressed as he picked the laptop and booted up a Game Boy Advance simulator to play _Pocket Monsters Fire Red_.

"Let's see if I level up my Pigeon to challenge Gym Leader Erika at her Tamamushi Gym. I already completed the Rocket Gang Hideout and got the Silph Scope after beating Sakaki so… I picked Zenigame as starter and it's already evolved into Kameil…" He muttered.

"Going to _date _Mistress Erika, Hikari?" Forte joked from the kitchen.

"Go yourself." Netto shot back.

"Delighted."

"Anyway… I think that her levels are between 25 and 30 so I should try to have my team around those levels… I'm not that far: I can train using the Battle Searcher to rematch trainers…"

"Maybe you used one and Beast Man got lured by its signal?"

"Sure, sure."

"Heh, heh, heh. I'm a genius."

"Sure, sure."

"Man. What dryness. Almost if there was nothing worth it on life… Or are you making it up?"

"No. I just feel skeptical."

"And annoyed?"

"From time to time."

"You'd do a good lawyer."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"You've got skill for vague answers. But better not end up like District Fiscal Attorney Harvey Dent…" He giggled.

"Che. Anyway… I'm close to level 26… Let's go tackle the Gym already and climb up levels there…"

"Drum, drum, drum."

"If ya wanna annoy me in purpose then you suck at it, Forte."

"Heh, heh, heh. The _crepe _is almost ready. But unlike Sakurai I only went for Nutella instead of choco-banana."

"Man. Meiru - chan… Suddenly having me pay for that and throwing the money I'd saved up for a Chip… And she wasn't of any help: she then didn't tell me the answer to the homework! It ain't like I wanted to skip it! I had to investigate the theft, I got knocked by the "Dimensional Area", I had to test how to enter one, and finally get a way to enter the real stuff before beating Burner Man!" He groaned.

"So? Are you gonna date those girls?"

"No. And that's definitive."

"Ah, yes, yes. Else Ijuuin would get mad at you."

"Why would Enzan care?" Netto frowned.

"So he hasn't said it yet?"

"Said what?"

"Heh, heh, heh. Figure it out yourself, Wiggins."

"Sure, sure."

Forte came in with the crepe so Netto saved the game and stopped the emulator: he merely directed a dull glare at Forte who giggled and then headed elsewhere: Netto ate the crepe slowly and drank some water as well: he was finished in about five minutes so he resumed the game and faced Erika.

"…"Ah… Hello. Rather nice weather, isn't it? Feels good… Zz… Zz… Oh my. No good. I felt asleep. Welcome. I am the Gym Leader of Tamamushi Gym: I'm named Erika. My hobbies are flower arranging and such my Pokémon are only Grass Type. Oh my. No good. You wanted to challenge me? No way… Well. But I won't lose." … That was an odd dialogue, yeah… Anyway… First goes Utsubot, Level 29, Poison & Grass… I bring out my Pigeon and… Use "Wing Strike"… My other skills include… "Blow Away", "Lighting Speed" and "Stir Up Wind"… But "Wing Strike" is my most powerful move anyway… I go first and, there… One hit KO."

"_One Turn Kill…_" Forte tried to sound sinister off-the-room.

"Yeah, yeah. Next is… Monjara, Grass Type… Level 26… Another "Wing Strike" and… Down it goes. I level up to Level 28… Good. Last one is Ruffresia, Level 29, Poison & Grass… Same trick and… There. "! I concede defeat… You really are a strong person… I can't forget to grant you the "Rainbow Badge"… Good! "With the "Rainbow Badge" all Pokémon up to Level 50 will orderly do as told. And, also… They can use the "Super Strength" skill even while not battling. Also… Please also take this with you!"… TM 19, huh? "TM 19 has "Giga Drain" inside of it. Half of the damage inflicted becomes nourishment for your Pokémon… It is a wonderful technique!"… Well. That depends…"

"On your imagination…?"

"Sod off."

"Heh, heh, heh."

Netto moved to the bathroom again and closed the door behind him: he stopped and suddenly blinked several times: he unbuttoned the upper part of his pajamas and looked at his chest in the mirror.

"… I feel different today… My body… Why hadn't I realized? I look rather cool… I've got a nice body… Huh?"

He spotted an empty aspirin tube about 2cm wide left on the sink's edge and picked it up.

"Used to be painkillers but expired 3 years ago… Whatever. But… I've always wondered…"

He lowered his pants and boxers and looked at his cock and balls: he grabbed it with his right hand and looked intrigued.

"Is this here just to pee or…? And what if… What if my ass can be used for something else…? Like…?"

He suddenly tried to fit the empty tube there and he gasped as he felt how it began to slide inside: his gaze became somewhat absent and he automatically began to rub his cock while pushing the tube in and pulling it out: he suddenly released and arched backwards out of instinct.

"W-whoa."

He looked at the white stuff and picked some with his fingers to then lick it off: he sucked his fingers.

"Hmmm… Not bad… Where did this come from…? Maybe from these things…?" He wondered as he looked at his balls.

He washed the tube and used the toilet normally before pulling up the boxers and pants and buttoning the shirt: he suddenly blushed and seemed to snap out of his earlier mood.

"Crap. I think I've done something shameful. I hope niisan wasn't looking on… I think he's just trying to think of any solutions…"

Netto moved the wheelchair into the main room and resumed playing: Forte came in and sat across him while having a printed paper with some text there and his PET: he interacted with it and then cleared his throat: Netto saved the game and stopped.

"What now?"

"Psychological test time..."

"Psychological test…?"

"It's a system to evaluate your intelligence."

"An exam…?"

"No. You don't need to study anything. I'll just make some questions and you just answer whatever comes to mind."

"Whatever."

"Alright, so… What do you think of when they say "clothes pegs"?"

"Clothes pegs…? Well. Clothes pegs… You use them to hang the clothes and let them dry…" He shrugged.

"Marker…?"

"Marker…? To write something or underline it…"

"Bracelets…?"

"Bracelets…? To look cool: what else?"

"Beads…?"

"Beads…? Aren't those used to pray? Those Monk Trainers carry them in _Gold, Silver and Crystal_…" Netto recalled.

"Gear…?"

"Well… "Gear" is a very ample concept…"

"Hmmm… Leather…?"

"Leather…? A belt, maybe?"

"… We'll leave at here for today." He decided.

"So? What's the outcome?"

"You've got a lot of imagination: that's practical."

"I wouldn't call that "imagination". It's more like experience." Netto argued back.

"Well… Yeah." He sounded slightly absent-minded.

"That's all?"

"That's all. Unless you wanna…" He trailed off and sounded rather amused as he looked at up at Netto.

"What."

"You wanna call Ijuuin and go to the disco with the guy." He joked and seemed to form a grin.

"Go to the disco! I'm a minor! I'm not even 12."

"Ah. Forgot that… What a blow, ain't it?"

"Whatever."

"The ever."

"Sure, sure."

"Heh, heh, heh… Let's ring up the Spoiled Mistress."

"Yaito – chan? To show off…?"

"Sure thing."

He put the cloth over the PET's camera and waited.

"Alright. Who are cha?" Ayanokouji Yaito asked.

"The envoy of IPC..."

"ENZAN! CHA! Cha have some guts!"

"Guts, guts. I'm Guts Man's cousin too."

"No way." She groaned.

"Way of wandering ways…"

"Enzan! Don't tell me you hired Dekao to troll me!"

"Who knows, Princess?"

"I ain't a Princess."

"You'll soon be."

"Why? I'll be the heir to Gabcom Inc., but apart from that…"

"Maybe we need to bring in Arms Tech Inc.?"

"What? The armament industry…? No thank you!"

"Beg to me, Missy."

"You pervert!"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh!"

"Glyde! Blackmail this guy's number and…!"

"Not so fast. The public hasn't spoken yet."

"HUH?"

He did the same as the previous day: the cloth was taken out and the camera faced Netto.

"Netto?"

"Yaito – chan! Tell the others I'm alright! I'm fighting!"

"Netto!"

"I'll be alright! Just do your best! Use your computers and help the Net Police figure out my location! Get it!" He added.

"Ops. Ran out of credit..."

Forte cut it again and Netto directed an annoyed face at him: Forte then made his right hand slowly "walk" over the table towards him.

"What. Trying to scare me?"

"You never know."

"You know."

"I get it."

"What do you get?"

"The secret…"

"Oh yeah? Impress me, Mr. Smart." Netto was unimpressed.

"Telepathy…!" He proclaimed.

"That doesn't exist. It's been proven over and over again. You'll have to try harder." Netto calmly shot back.

"Yeah… And I know how…"

He suddenly stood up, tied the leather bands, and drew the taser: he hit the right side of his neck and Netto yelped.

"You said you'd only do this at the afternoon!"

"I lied."

ZAP!

"Grah! You increased the power!" Netto cursed.

"Sure I did. I feel impatient."

"Try all you want: I won't say anything!"

"So! His mind is hidden in Ayanokouji's computers? Since she has some advanced computers then…"

"Dunno!"

ZAP!

"Your house's PC?"

"Check it out yourself, lazy grunt!"

"Lazy! Me! I bothered to prepare all this and you name me lazy? You're about to annoy me, Hikari." He warned.

"Get annoyed, then." Netto provoked.

_Netto – kun… I don't think it's a good idea to…_

_Don't worry. He'll have to hold himself back._

_Guess so, but don't toy with that either…_

_Relax! I'll handle this. It hasn't been 24 hours yet._

_Alright… Let's hope it doesn't escalate._

"Oi! Hikari! Get back from La-La-La-Land! Answer me!"

ZAP!

"Grah! As I said: send a Killer Eye to check it out!"

"A Killer Eye… Why didn't I think of that?"

"If it can get past her security…"

"Hah. If Elec Man did it by getting inside through a device inside of the perimeter then..." He sounded smug.

"Che. Spoke too much…!" He sounded annoyed.

"Aha-hah! Or… Wait, wait. No, no… You're luring me into a trap, Hikari, I just know it… Good attempt, but, sadly… It wasn't convincing enough: let's continue, shall we? And be glad it ain't Elec Man's unleashed power or Flash Man's "Neon Lights"…"

ZAP!

"Fuck you!"

"Whoa. That's some wording for a guy your age."

"And so what…!"

"We're getting off-topic here. I invoke moderator warning. Else this topic gets shut down." He laughed.

ZAP!

"Grrr!"

"Wanna imitate Beast Man?"

ZAP!

"Let go of me, you!"

"Not yet."

"Like I'd cooperate with a Navi assassin…!"

"Tell that to Shadow Man."

"Che!"

"Feeling the despair?"

"Damn it. And I have to go through how many times?"

"As many as I need until you spit it out."

"Damn it! I won't let you kill my friend!"

"Some sacrifices are needed to protect the Cyber World."

"You mean the "Control X" day?" He deduced.

"Yeah. But in this case… I know of "something"… Which could be coming by in due time… An unprecedented threat… Its outcome… I don't know what'll happen to humanity but… But having the Cyber World engulfed too is unpleasant. A calamity which will engulf the Cyber World… I need power to combat the approaching threat… By combining the two "Ultimate Programs" Rock Man and I have… I'll be able to evolve into an even stronger existence!" He exclaimed.

"And what's that "unprecedented threat" about, anyway?"

"Hmpf. The Cybernetic God…"

"Cybernetic God…? You gotta be kidding me."

"No… Regal and Yuriko met with them 15 years ago."

"How can you be sure it exists to begin with?"

"Wily knows it too…"

"So who are they?"

"I'll leave it at here. In fact, that's all I know apart from the fact that Regal was planning on coming up with a way to interfere with their "return" to Earth… He didn't want them to get on his way."

"That sounds fishy." Netto frowned.

"So? Do you think you "Net Saviors" will be able to stand up to them? Or will you be destroyed along with the Cyber World and Earth?" Forte challenged.

"Don't say nonsense! No human would destroy Earth. Even the "Darkloids" just wanted to rule the surface."

"Well. You'll figure it out in due time, I believe."

"I'm skeptical."

"No wonder. But maybe you won't once they show up. Which maybe they do in a few months from now… The skies will tell."

"The skies will tell? That sounds something taken outta a fantasy _manga _to begin with." Netto kept on being skeptical.

ZAP!

"Grah!"

"So? What's the trick, Hikari? If you don't tell it you'll regret it because you'll die amongst regret knowing you could've defeated that threat and avoid that outcome…"

"I'm not buying that anymore! And no matter how much you insist I won't tell you! Fight like a man! Hmpf!"

Forte fumed and suddenly walked off while Netto narrowed his eyes.

_Whatever you try is useless! I'll win! And gain back my freedom!_


	6. Chapter 6: Slip of the tongue

**Chapter 6: Slip of the tongue**

19:58 PM (Japan Time), Thursday March the 15th…

"… So! You still won't spit it out, huh?"

"Huh! Not… a… chance…"

ZAP!

Forte was interrogating Netto again on that evening as he'd tied him to the bed and blindfolded him with the bandana.

"Hmmm… How about I tell you something? When I captured Rock Man and I read his memories back in December… I heard you calling him "niisan"…"

Forte then noticed how Netto gasped.

_Lucky me!_

"It'd look like your affection for him has grown so much that you've started considering him a brother…"

"And what if…? He… liked it…"

"Hmmm… I think there's more to that…" He sounded intrigued.

ZAP!

"Not… going… to tell… you… ever…" Netto hissed.

"Tsk, tsk. That's not the correct answer, Hikari…" Forte corrected with some amusement on his voice.

ZAP!

"Grah! The likes of you… don't have… the right to… snoop… in my… family… affairs…" Netto cursed.

"Family affairs, you say? No. It's _your_ affairs. And I have every right. You're my prisoner, and no Geneva Convention is gonna stop me no matter what they say. I told you on the first day. And it'd seem you've forgotten altogether."

ZAP!

"Go… to… Hell…" Netto cursed.

"Tsk, tsk. Such language, really…" Forte sounded amused again.

ZAP!

"You can… go… to… Nifleheim…" Netto improvised.

"That's the world of demons in Norse mythology, right? It's the same as Hell… But I'm not in the mood to travel all the way to Norway to get there… Try better. I know you've beaten the Champion Green today's morning and you're pending the 7 Islands… If you want to continue then tell me altogether and let's end this."

ZAP!

"Wai… defeat you…" Netto hissed.

"…"Wai"? Wairi? Wily? I don't think he's able to do much right now: he's busy enough eluding the Ameroupe Army…"

"… Defeat you…"

"Wait… I think you meant "waira", the Hokkaido dialect for "we", but you corrected yourself… You mean Rock Man? I don't see what he can do without a fourth of his "Ultimate Program" or his consciousness. Maybe you can elucidate?" Forte replied.

ZAP!

"He's got… lots of tricks… up his… sleeves…"

"… "Style Change", "Soul Unison"… I know that. And where is his soul AKA consciousness at?"

"It's… none… of… your business…" Netto shot back.

"Oh? Is that really so?" Forte asked.

ZAP!

"Armageddon… will destroy you…" Netto hissed.

"No. The Cybernetic God will destroy us all. Unless I can absorb both "Ultimate Programs", Blues' included, evolve, and stand up to them to prevent the destruction of the Cyber World…"

ZAP!

"You're… pathetic…" Netto told him.

"That won't work on me." Forte quickly replied.

ZAP!

"The… level… base…" Netto muttered.

"Level, you say? Base, you say? Do you mean… The Security Level Data Base, then?" Forte guessed.

"Ah… Damn it…" Netto sounded like he'd made a slip.

"Aha! I've caught you. His personality file and Ultimate Program are hidden in a Data Base… The Net Police's AAA Security Level Data Base, perhaps? About time... So the info Blues and Search Man leaked wasn't mere bait. It was there all along! Heh, heh, heh!" Forte sounded like he'd caught up.

"Who… knows…?" Netto replied, panting.

"Oh, I know. Thanks for the info… That'll be all for tonight."

"Untie me!"

"Sure."

Forte released the ropes and then ran off while Netto sat on the bed and put on his pajamas: he sighed.

_He'll come back empty-handed AND annoyed. _Saito warned.

_Whatever. He'll realize his attempts are pointless. I'll just bear with it: he'll keep on chasing fake leads and phoning my friends. Maybe he thinks I'll tell them something so he can go and question them instead._

_What a jerk. Well. I'm off. Be careful, Netto – kun._

20:10 PM (Japan Time)…

"… No abnormalities in this sector either… The outer 3 firewalls have been restored ever since Saturday…"

"Good."

Blues and Search Man were talking as they stood next to a firewall in the Cyber World: Police Navis were standing and watching close by.

"Go, Sidon! "Horn Drill"! "Charge"! "Earthquake"! "Mega-horn"!"

"Grua~h!"

"What!"

"They came!"

Alarms rang out and both Navis rushed down the outer perimeter until they spotted a "Sidon" Pokémon blocking the opening they'd made and looking like they wanted a fight.

"Shit. A ripped off Pokémon… Guess Rock equals to Breaker Type so I'm out of my league here." Blues growled.

"Scope Gun!"

The shot bounced off and the Pokémon suddenly charged into Search Man driving him into the second firewall: Blues rushed into the main area and spotted Forte looking up some data higher up.

"Forte!"

"Ah. The d'Artagnan came." He greeted with some sarcasm.

"What do you want?"

"Rock Man's missing pieces. They're not in the "R" directory but that'd been too stupid. Maybe in the "U" for "Ultimate"… Or maybe in the "N" for "Net Savior"… Or in "H" for "Hikari"… I thought Sidon would keep you busy but I guess he hates the sight of green. He must think it's a Grass Type Pokémon. Sakaki would rather stay away from those. Wouldn't the cool guy? Maybe we need him to bring out his armies?"

"Don't screw me! Where's Rock Man at?"

"In my turf…"

"Where's that?"

"In your imagination... Come! Starmie!"

A "Starmie" formed next and hovered in front of Forte.

"Hah! Use "Surfing"! "Waterfall Climb" and "Diving"! Plus "Freezing Beam"! Play with this guy! I'm off to the "H" directory."

Forte jumped to an upper level while the "Starmie" began to attack Blues who tried to counter.

"Thunderbolt!"

A thunderbolt fell down and hit the Pokémon thus deleting it and Thunder Man dropped behind Forte.

"That's as far as you get!"

"I thought the proxies would keep you busy." He didn't bother to turn.

"Proxies? Ah! You bastard! You set them on us?"

"Yeah. A lil distraction... But the one financing them ain't me to begin with, anyway, Thunder Man." He turned around and shrugged.

"Who is it?"

"The "Secret Empire"…" He let out.

"Damn! Those guys…!" He cursed.

"So you've heard of them."

"Everyone in Heaven's Town knows about them!"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… So be glad they didn't get to Hikari because I jumped ahead of them. Gotcha?"

"You bastard! You can't be serious." Blues growled as he jumped up there too.

"Who knows, Smith? Not here either… Huh… I'll try the "U" directory next and in the meanwhile… Sidon! Come! Crush 'em! "Earthquake"!"

The Sidon came back and made the whole area rumble as Forte jumped into the air: both Thunder Man and Blues lost their balance and met the ground where they were charged upon by the Sidon.

"Not "U" either… Hum! "P" for "Program"…? Or maybe a totally unexpected directory…? "Y" for "Yuuichirou"…? "S" for "Savior"…? "H" for "Hero"…? Che. Too many choices!" He grumbled.

"Don't blame us!" Enzan taunted.

"Blame the random protocol."

"Random protocol…? So his file is stored at random when it reaches here by the admin program?" He uttered.

"Yeah. We Sharo Nation are proud to say that we invented it to throw off spies back in the 60s. Put them in a totally unexpected place and thus fat chance of them finding those." Laika smugly replied.

"Nya~h! Damn it! I'm a genius! This can't be happening!"

"Blame the guys who set this up on the 60s. If they're still alive, which I doubt…" Laika taunted next.

"Gru~h…! Shaddup…! Shaddup…! SHADDUP! I'll dispose of you! Dark Arm Blade! Hra~h!"

He drew two pyramidal blades with purplish edges and black body and lurched at Blues to fight him as he drew a Long Blade and a Wide Blade to repel him: Thunder Man jumped into the air.

"Battle Chip, Ice Cannon Ball! Slot In!" Raoul announced.

"Eat this up!"

The Ice Cannon Ball hit Sidon and it was deleted: Search Man ran inside despite having several wounds on him.

"Target… Locked On! Satellite Ray!"

A small man-made satellite formed behind Forte: it loaded up its cannon and a shot a greenish laser at his head from behind: he turned around to face it but then Blues kicked him into the ground and Thunder Man tossed another Ice Cannon Ball at him to freeze his body.

"Huff! We somehow caught them. We need to scan their memories to figure out the location and… What!" Blues began to say only to suddenly gasp.

Forte's body began to glow with purplish energy and the ice began to crack: it blew up and he jumped skywards.

"That little thing can't hope to stop all of my processes!" He exclaimed while forming a smug smile.

"Fuck." Search Man cursed.

"Thunderbolt!"

"GURURA~H!"

He dropped into the ground while smoking and groaning.

"You were wet." Thunder Man announced.

"S-shit…!"

"Where's Rock Man?"

"In your damned imagination…!" He shot back.

"Whatever. You can't hope to crawl away from here."

"Hmpf… I always have fail-safes ready…"

"More Pokémon? That won't stop us." Enzan was unimpressed.

"No… Reinforcements…"

"What reinforcements? You work alone: we know that."

"Come! Viruses!"

"Shit!"

A swarm of several Viruses species suddenly formed inside of the database and began to grown in numbers: they quickly overwhelmed the three defenders and Forte quickly resumed working on searching across the directories.

"Alright. Let's try narrowing them by size. I know more or less the size those files would occupy so…"

He inputted some factors and hummed a tune as he waited for the search to continue.

"So you're Forte…"

"Huh? Huh!"

Forte jumped away and someone cloaked in a black robe landed there while swinging some kind of pyramidal energy saber colored emerald green: the figure stood up and it was clear that they were taller than Forte, maybe over a meter and eighty tall.

"W-who the hell! You aren't a "Net Savior"!"

"No."

"Who are you?"

"… A warrior…"

"But you seek the same as they?"

"Of course. I'm a righteous sword."

"_Katsujinken_, huh. But I can feel it… You're strong."

"Yeah. I don't boast about my strength. And you're at your limits: you have no self-regeneration abilities either. Give it up. Or else I'll have to get serious. And chase you all across the world if needed…"

"Che. Things are turning complicated."

"So? What will you do, Forte?"

"Garuus! Burn this guy to cinders!"

"Slow."

The figure moved around the space in a blur and quickly sliced the six Garuus which were dropping from above towards him into pieces before appearing behind Forte and closing his right arm around his neck: Forte struggled to shake it off.

"Maybe I'll bring you to my Boss. And he'll figure out the data he wants to then send you to the Navi Prison…"

"Like Hell! Darkness Overload!"

Forte shot a blast of purplish energy at the ground and the recoil effect pushed them into the sky and crashing against one of the data towers: the figure instinctively let go and Forte escaped the area: the figure growled and got out too.

"Alright! What the hell's going on? Someone else's chasing Forte apart from us?" Blues wondered.

"Looks like it…" Search Man muttered.

"By the way, if those "Secret Empire" people are pullulating around then that's bad news… You must watch out for Rock Man's friends as well: those creeps could try to use them as bait!" Thunder Man warned.

"Damn it! This is spiraling! What began as simply a chase for Forte now has a mysterious organization mixed in and those "Secret Empire" creeps as well. This is turning mad!" Enzan cursed.

"Shit. Those fuckers…" Raoul cursed, for once.

"Damn it. I had to investigate a Sharo Nation branch four months ago and I still haven't shaken off the trauma from that. And if Hikari ends up dragged there I doubt he'll come out mentally sane! We need to stop that from happening!" Laika hissed next.

"What do we tell Commissioner Kifune?" Laika asked.

"Let's skip the "Secret Empire" talk and just talk about the cloaked guy: we don't want him to get hysterical… How lovely!"

21:04 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Huff! Close, WAY TOO CLOSE…! Huh? Huh."

Forte stepped into the main room of the hideout and found that Netto was already sleeping: he ignored that and sat down in front of the laptop to work into something.

"… Hmmm… Tomorrow will be the 6th day… On Saturday it'd be wise to switch hideouts to the second one… Just in case… Maybe I'll have to get serious… But… He didn't lie to me: I just couldn't check it out. Laika's smug face and voice… Oh yeah… I'm sure he wasn't making it up! He knew it from the start! The jerk! I'll have to go after him? Wait. That could be risky: that weird cloaked freak could be waiting for me to make that kind of move to begin with…"

He sighed and leant backwards on the chair.

"Damn it. I dunno who that freak was but he was serious. I don't wanna met the guy twice. He wasn't the type to joke. I could feel a powerful "Ultimate Program" signature from him…!"

He stood up and then looked at Netto while keeping his distance and folding his arms.

"_Fifty-fifty_… But as I said before, I can't be sure. I couldn't search the whole thing. When the freak came 33% of the database had been scanned and I'd finished in another 150 seconds… Shit. If only I could be like Shadow Man and create "bunshins"… Maybe I could try. But nevertheless they'd expect me to drop by there again. And they could be moving the files elsewhere as I speak… Fuck! I need a good night's rest. Screw the taser thing: I'm fed up with that. I now want to find out who the cloaked fucker was and erase that smug smile from their face!"

He stormed off and Netto opened one eye slightly.

_I heard it all. So there's someone else involved… Good… They'll keep the jerk distracted, nervous, and they'll make a mistake._

_Sure. And then… Our chance will come, Netto - kun… We'll be free!_


	7. Chapter 7: Catching up

**Chapter 7: Catching up**

10:22 AM (Japan Time), Friday March the 16th…

"… So. There's another party hunting Forte."

"Yes, sir. And for the time being he's been fooled into believing Rock Man's consciousness and "Ultimate Program" portion are in the database but… I don't know if we'll be able stop another "visit", sir. But they aren't there, sir. So then…?"

"Make sure the door is closed, Enzan – kun."

"Ah! Roger, sir."

Enzan was reporting to Yuuichirou and began formulating a question but Yuuichirou pointed him to close the door: he then sat down and Yuuichirou sighed.

"… Netto told you, right? About Rock Man's true colors…"

"Yes, sir… That he is his brother…"

"Fine. Well, the explanation is simple: Saito, to protect himself from "Nebula", moved his consciousness and that fourth of his "Ultimate Program" into Netto's mindset to act as a split personality and be out of touch from them… And given how things evolved he's been forced to remain there…" Yuuichirou confirmed.

"I see, sir… And he likely told Netto about "slipping" that of the Net Police database so that Forte would show up…"

"Yes. It's a very probable _scenario_. And I think that the reason he's keeping himself hidden is because Forte must want to absorb his "Ultimate Program" to evolve… Regal admitted that he suspected Forte would show up to just to do that sooner or later… Because he'd want to tackle "that fool" as he named them…"

"… "That fool"… Someone very powerful?"

"Yes. Apparently… They encountered that person 15 years ago and they're the reason they're still alive to begin with and met Wily…"

"Hum. Suspicious, sir."

"Very. But the man wouldn't elucidate."

"So we're stuck."

"Search Man didn't figure anything about the Navi?"

"No. All of us were busy enough trying to survive, sir." Blues politely replied.

"No wonder."

"Laika's going over any access records but I don't think he's found anything as of yet…"

"I think Saito will eventually dare to try to get data from Forte's PET: there has to be a carrier signal if he's been able to call people."

"Oh. True, sir."

"Repair the damage to the database: he'll eventually come back because if he's in a rush then the fastest way to figure it out will be like this. But maybe next time he'll bring an army of Pokémon along and things will get complicated." He warned.

"Damn. If facing two was hard enough… Huh! I apologize for my outburst, sir. I just felt like it, sir."

"Don't worry about it, Enzan – kun… Just search around and make sure to seize any clue as little as it may seem."

"Roger, sir."

Enzan stood up and left the office while closing the door behind him: he sighed and distractedly walked down a corridor of the Science Labs while stuffing his hands on his pockets while Blues looked defeated too.

_Netto… Can you really resist this much? It's been 6 days already… I believe in you, but the chances keep on decreasing per every passing day… _

_Huff. Rock Man… I guess the feeling of guilt must be building inside of you, but… There's no other way around… Will you hold on?_

10:49 AM (Japan Time)…

"… So! You've found "Fire" on Mt. Firelight, there, on Island 3 AKA Bond Island. One the 7 Islands… Eh, Hikari? And you've caught them, eh?"

"Yeah. I found "Freezer" in the Twin Island and "Thunder" on the Abandoned Power Plant…"

"The 3 Legendary Bird Pokémon of Kanto… I could use them for my next visit to the database, yeah… But the 3 of them save for "Thunder"… They happen to be weak to Electric Type Moves…"

"Try using something else."

"Heh! I'll set a Dugtrio on them."

"So you got interrupted from your attempts to make your way into the Net Police Database…"

"Che. Yeah. Some cloaked swordsman freak…"

"Maybe it was Blues' _Aniki_."

"Hah, hah. How funny, Hikari."

"Gotcha."

"Hmpf."

Netto had been playing with the computer when Forte popped his head next to his: Netto firstly looked uninterested but then brought up the events of the previous day to annoy him along with a joke.

"Maybe if you chant "Open, Sesame" the cave will open up?"

"Hmpf."

"Or maybe you need to say "dourak" instead."

"Come on. I doubt Laika setting the password to be "idiot" to begin with: if there's a password, anyway. It could and could not be... Che. Things are getting too complicated. Huh? What's that sound?"

"Dunno."

"The perimeter sensors…!"

"What!"

"Oho. Not so fast."

Forte suddenly immobilized him and set the brakes on the wheelchair: he saved the game's progress and stopped it before heading outside of the room: the sound of a keyboard inputting rang out along with a buzz and a door unlocked to immediately close.

"Damn it. I can't know who came."

_I can._

_Ah! Niisan. How can you?_

_Easy. I'll sneak my consciousness into his PET. I'll also analyze his carrier signal to figure out where the broadcaster is at and to know where this place is at…_

_Good! Chance! Go, go!_

_Leave it to me. Let's hope he takes about 105 seconds._

_Sure! Don't waste time!_

Netto heard Forte's PET beeping for a second and then became mute: he tried to move the arms but got nowhere: he grumbled under his breath and tried to listen but there were no outside sounds.

"This place must be built to cut off all outside sounds... But this chance proved good… I guess niisan still needs about 50 seconds by now: I hope that jerk takes more than that to come back…"

Netto remained silent and kept on paying attention but the only sounds were that of the laptop's fan humming and his own heart-beats: the PET beeped for a second and then resumed its normal silence.

_Got it! Alright, Netto – kun. I'm going to get out through there and make my way to Papa's lab… Since I'll be an encoded signal then the Viruses can't attack me and no – one will see my transit._

_Alright. Good luck._

_Don't worry. An electrical signal covers distances in times lesser than minutes so I'll be there quickly enough and return quickly enough too: maybe I won't take an hour even._

_Good! Go!_

_Later!_

The keyboard sounds rang out and Forte came in: Netto gasped on seeing that he had some bullet wounds and cut marks: he carried that steel bar which had some blood stained on it as well.

"W-what the hell happened?"

"Some thieves." He grumbled.

"Thieves…?"

"Yeah! SOME FUCKING DAMNED THIEVES ARMED WITH KNIVES AND BERETTA GUNS!" He snapped.

"A-alright…"

"Damn it! There were 8 of them. It was hard to beat them and kick them away: they ran away and now believe there's a freak here. Whatever: that'll keep them at bay." He grumbled.

"Maybe you'd preferred Beast Man to them?"

"Beast Man! The guy was the type to hold grudges, yeah. He showed up 4 times around you. But Shadow Man beats him, anyway." He fumed next while sounding exasperated.

"Guess so."

"Grah. I dunno if I'll be able to repair these. Guess I'll have to make my way to Wily's "Gospel" hideout and try to find some of the devices he used to make this body…"

He released the restrains and walked away while Netto kept on looking surprised at what had happened.

11:13 AM (Japan Time)…

"… Huh? What's this?"

"Papa!"

"Saito!"

"Yes! It's me, Papa!"

Yuuichirou had been working with the laptop when his family crest suddenly showed up onscreen and a voice rang out.

"You used Forte's PET!"

"Correct. And I've got their carrier signal data!"

"Is Netto still resisting?"

"Yeah. Because the guy tries to annoy him into letting it out or trying to get him to be "grateful" for the games he's providing and thus he'll be "obliged" to "repay" that." Saito explained.

"I see. So he relies on exploiting the psychological aspect rather than try to use force."

"Yeah. Anyway… Are you analyzing the signal?"

"I'm on it, yes."

"What's that talk about a mysterious Navi?"

"It's as this: a Navi came in yesterday night to stop Forte from finishing his database investigation and was about to bring him to his "Boss" to try to figure out you guys' location but he pulled a desperate trick and in an instant where the newcomer lowered the guard he ditched him. But it'd seem the newcomer wants to rescue you two too."

"No names at all?"

"No. He just used the expression "katsujinken" but apart from that… We know they're a male by the voice and their height is about a meter and eighty more or less… But that's all."

"Very odd… Really..."

"Well. As long as they try to help us…"

"True. We can bother about that later."

"Did you find a good chance?"

"Yeah. Forte went to the surface because the perimeter sensors had been triggered and I got the data in the meanwhile. I dunno who triggered those: but it wasn't the Net Police, right?"

"No."

"Well. Maybe it was some stray cat even. Well. Netto – kun will tell me once I get back there… Are we making progress, Papa?"

"Yeah. 88% decoded… Another 18 seconds…"

"Good. Let's hope we can put an end to this today."

"Yes, I hope the same… There. 97% decoded… About 3 seconds… Then I'll insert it into the database and we'll figure out the place. It can't be too far away from any population if Forte wants to procure supplies… But he could warp using the "Converters" too…"

"Ah! That reminds me, Papa…! Don't try to recycle the energy system the "Nebula Converters" use: it's terrible!"

"Why?"

"It eats up Net Navis to work!"

"WHAT! REGAL, YOU…!" He stood up with violence.

"Yeah. I know. Apparently…"

"Yes. They're Wily's foster son and daughter. But the odd part is that they were listed as the passengers of a Paris – Japan flight 15 years ago which was deemed lost. It had some accident and no survivors were found: only some pieces of the fuselage. Her father was on that flight."

"And what about…?"

"Mariko – sensei and her mother were supposed to have flown that day but apparently she got a fever and they stayed behind in Paris. That's what I found out." Yuuichirou replied.

"But then… That reply of "I was always the bad girl" was a lie." Saito realized.

"That's what she said? Well. If you didn't know about the plane thing then it was a pretty logical thing to think of… Wait a minute… I've found your location… 13 km NNE from Abiko City, Chiba Prefecture… A set of old metallurgic factories with bunkers built underneath them to store dangerous chemicals… Forte must've reconverted those or maybe did it ahead of him… But we've got the location nevertheless." He read up the results.

"Roger. I'll be going back. Try to come ASAP. The door apparently needs a password but I'm sure you can hack your way there."

"Good. We'll get on the move right now."

"I'll be going back. Later, Papa."

"Later, Saito. Be careful."

"Alright, Papa."

Yuuichirou quickly picked a phone.

"Commissioner? I have new information: the exact address!"

"Is that so?"

"Assemble a SWAT Squadron and let's get there! Forte's body is a robot, yes, but it must be designed that it works by direct wire plugging into a PET or device or computer given how it was built before the PET II was designed… So he can't come out so easily. We can immobilize it and then we'd be able to lock them."

"Excellent! I'm on it. I expect to be ready in an hour's time."

"Good! The trip to the place should take about another hour so we can be there in 2 hours' time… We've got them this time around!"

11:52 PM (Japan Time)…

"… The sensors again! They're back or what?"

"Dunno."

"And in the midst of the test…!"

"Not like I timed it."

"Che."

Forte had been going over his test with Netto when the PET rang again and he checked it out to fume: he tossed the PET on the table in an annoyed manner and stormed off: Netto waited until it was silent and then looked at its screen.

_Niisan?_

_I'm back but I didn't trigger those._

_So?_

_We're close to Akibo City, Chiba Prefecture…_

_Chiba Prefecture, huh…_

_What happened earlier?_

_Thieves with guns and knives… His body's gotten some wounds there but since it can't bleed then I'm sure he can't feel them._

_And the sensors have gone off again? I know they can detect anything up to 10 meters close to the whole perimeter… It could've been a stray cat for all we know even. But he did sound pretty pissed off…_

_Anyway. While you were away… I've helped Shitenou Kanna in Ice Island, Island 4 of the 7 Island… The Rocket Gang was messing around in the Frozen Waterfall Cave… And got HM 07, "Waterfall Riding"… It'd seem that the island is her hometown to begin with._

_I see. I think you can later rematch them, right?_

_Yeah. I'll be trying it out once I finish the rest of the islands._

_Good. You'll have to level up…_

_Sure. I'll find spots or trainers._

_Chut. I hear that guy's footsteps…_

"… DAMN THEM ALL!"

SLAM!

Forte violently opened the door again and Netto saw how the wounds had worsened and that he had some gunpowder residues on his cuffs and forearms as well as his hands.

"The thieves again…?"

"… FUCK THEM ALL! YEAH! I HAD TO SHOOT AROUND TO FORCE THEM TO FLEE! GRAH! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

"But do they think there's something valuable here?"

"Some idiot forgot the factories here are abandoned and that their chemicals were transferred elsewhere YEARS ago and they think they're still here and can be sold! Grah! What the fuck are the local police doing, letting such idiots loose? Fuck! I'll start the preparations… We'll switch places tonight!" He exclaimed.

He walked off, grumbling, and Netto put on his unimpressed face as he glanced at the laptop.

_They should be here in less than 2 hours from now… And since Forte seems to need all the time until the evening to get ready to move then he'll be caught in the midst of his preparations… _

_Good! This ends today._

_Sure thing…_

_You lose, Forte! Niisan and I are too smart for ya! Heh, heh, heh!_

_Don't get cocky._

_Heh, heh, heh! You lose, I say! Niisan's a genius! Heh, heh, heh!_


	8. Chapter 8: Rescue attempt

**Chapter 8: Rescue attempt**

12:55 PM (Japan Time), Friday March the 16th…

"… Alright. It's time for some questions."

"Fire away."

"Do you know what "vibration" is about, right?"

"Huh? Well… Yeah. When something vibrates…"

Forte resumed his interrupted questions and began to write them down on the paper: Netto couldn't help but look at the wounds of the flesh exposing circuitry beneath them.

"Collar…"

"Collar..? Well, I know it's fashionable sometimes, but it's also used into dogs to attach an ID tag to them."

"Hum. Master..."

"Master…? Eh… _Shunin? Aruji_? Well… Someone's master…"

"… Servant..."

"_Shimobe_? Do you mean a maid or a butler?"

"… Release…"

"Release…? A prisoner's release…?"

"… Hum, hum… Well. That's enough."

"… Huh? The air smells… Like molten metal…" Netto noticed.

"What?"

"I'm not kidding. It's getting stronger… And I'm feeling some air current flowing in… See! My hair flocks are agitating…"

"Weird. I didn't lock the door properly enough?"

"Dunno."

"Guess I'll check it out…"

Forte sighed and stood up: he headed towards the door but then uttered a gasp and quickly closed the laptop, and tossed it, the charger, and Netto's PET plus the PET chargers into a suitcase which he locked: he quickly inputted some commands into the PET II.

"Start up, you!"

CLANG!

"Wha!" Netto uttered.

"Found ya."

The cloaked figure came in while holding the sword weapon: Forte was still inputting orders into the PET II and a "Dimensional Converter" suddenly popped out: he then picked the notebook and threw it at the face of the newcomer who apparently didn't expect that move and momentarily made them recoil.

"Transfer!"

"Wait!"

"Too late, Deepthroat!"

The "Converter" started up and they were warped out: the cloaked Navi cursed under his breath and picked up the notebook.

"Huh? Somewhat weird questions, aren't they?" He wondered.

"… Status report…" A voice came in through the radio.

"He ditched me."

"Damn."

"By mere seconds too."

"Hell. So he had a second hideout ready and we dunno where. We'll have work to do: at least we could try to pick off the signature of the "Converter" and try to narrow it down… Damn it! We were so close!"

13:08 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Phew. Close, too close."

"So! That was the guy of yesterday?"

"Sure as Hell...!"

"But how did he materialize?"

"Huh?"

"There wasn't a "Dimensional Area"."

"Maybe he's got a robot body like mine."

"Huh. That's curious. Who apart from Wily could make those?"

"Dunno. Yet… No. They work on their own… They could've figured it out themselves too… I shouldn't have been so bold on picking the supplies off stores less than 30 km away from here… They centered on this spot: and the guy's saber is like a _Star Wars_ thing… It cut through the whole frame of the door and knocked it out into the floor!"

"So that's why I smelt a molten metal smell!"

"Yeah... That's the reason, anyway… But now I'll be more careful. Too bad, Hikari! Your own instincts betrayed you!"

"Whatever. You can't hope to always run away. They'll end up catching up with you anyway."

"Sure, sure… But that remains to be seen. Heh, heh."

Forte walked out and Netto looked around: this new refuge was almost identical to the one he'd been in until a while ago.

"I conditioned them to be ready." Forte admitted off-room.

"Ah. I see. Well. Whatever."

"Let's tease someone."

"And who will that be?"

"You'll soon see."

"Che. If you expect to scare my friends then…"

"I'm very mistaken? You never know, Wiggings." He giggled.

"Just get on with it."

"Sure. But before that…"

He unbuttoned his pajama's shirt and then secured him to the wheelchair before sitting across him and readying the PET: he dialed a number and covered the camera.

"Who is it?"

"Sakurai Meiru – sama?"

"Eh… Yes. That's me." Sakurai Meiru admitted.

"I'm Mr. X."

"Who…?"

"Mr. Y."

"What?"

"Mr. Z."

"Dekao – kun. Stop kidding around."

"Guts, guts. Roll – sama, Guts Man will be stronger." He suddenly imitated Guts Man's voice.

"Try beating Fire Man's full power!" Roll challenged.

"Guts, guts. Guts Man is trying, de guts."

"So! Wanna be the CO?" Forte asked.

"CO?" She wondered.

"Commanding Officer. _Shireikan_."

"Why should I?" She shot back.

"To be in control…"

"Of what…?"

"Of that slippery guy…"

"What slippery guy?"

"Ya know: the guy who plays cool."

"Dekao – kun: if that's supposed to be a trick then it's lame." Meiru was far from impressed.

"How's this instead?"

Forte made the camera face Netto below his face and aiming at his exposed chest: Meiru blushed and looked nervous.

"W-what…? A pervert…?" She gasped.

"Not exactly… I'm just showing off my guest's looks."

"Wait! Cha voice… I remember it from somewhere!"

"No wonder."

"… Forte! What have you done to Netto?"

"Let him tell you, Missy."

He lifted the camera to face Netto.

"Netto!"

"Meiru – chan. I'm alright. I'm doing my best. You guys do your best too: I believe in you guys."

"Netto…!"

"Ops. Ran out of credit…"

"That motto doesn't work anymore."

"Who knows, Smith?"

"Those questions are pointless too."

"By the way…"

"What?"

"… Nothing. Heh, heh, heh, heh."

"Huh? You're behaving weird."

"Never mind…"

"Suspicious, very suspicious…!" Netto looked suspicious.

"Ain't it, Lestrade?"

"Lestrade? Who's that?"

"The Scotland Yard Inspector Holmes always looks down upon for his lack of imagination and always stumbling upon fake leads…"

"Ah. So you wanna be the smart guy."

"Who knows?"

"Ya do."

"My, my. Maybe Raoul knows? He's supposed to know a lot of what happens in the underground. Including how many wires run across his apartments and how many pipes." He joked next.

"Get serious."

"Sure."

ZAP!

"Grah! You didn't warn!"

"There's no point in warning. I'm a bad guy."

Forte had suddenly taken out the taser and hit the right side of his neck: Netto growled and complained.

"So? What's the TRICK?"

"Ask Mr. Trick!"

"Not bad. I'll praise you yet."

ZAP!

"Grah! Not until you give me proof that that "Cybernetic God" thing exists and it ain't some tale made up by that Regal guy and Yuriko!"

"Try looking up their genome."

"Their genome…?"

"Hmpf… The evidence is there. Wily spent four years experimenting with that and decoding it to get a small glimpse of that guy's super-chemistry power. That's how he wrote it down."

"And the reason they became bad guys was because Wily messed up with their heads? He wanted them to become his successors when he died?"

"Bravo, Mc Anderson. That's to be expected of your deduction skills."

"And how do I check that out? How do I look at their genome?"

"Find Wily and ask of him to bring you to his island laboratory."

"We dunno where the hell he's at to begin with. Do you know it?"

"Wandering around Utah, I believe. Last time I checked, anyway…"

"Utah? Isn't that in the western side of Ameroupe?" Netto recalled.

"Yessir. You're good at geography, Hikari." He made a mock applause.

"But if he's there then why hasn't he been noticed by the police"

"He knows how to slip into the underground… And don't forget he can come up with robotic things when he wants to do that. He's an evil genius scientist, in case you'd forgotten, Hikari. Which you seem to have done…"

"Huh. That guy's acting weird… What's going on with the guy?"

"Not my problem. But let's get back to where we stopped."

ZAP!

"Fuck you!"

"Tut, tut. Those manners don't fit you, Hikari. I thought Rock Man's mannerisms would influence on you. Heh, heh, heh, heh…"

"Well! They don't! Rock Man is Rock Man and I am who I am!"

ZAP!

"We're getting off-topic. I invoke moderator warning. So? What's the trick? If you want the Earth to survive then there's no other way around, you see… Unless you completed Regal's "barrier"…" He let out.

"What did you say? He wanted to create a "barrier"?" Netto realized.

"Yeah. And not even that guy would be able to get past it and make landfall on Earth… And thus Regal would be able to rule it all."

"And by "barrier"… Doesn't that mean a "Dimensional Area"? He wanted to create a "Dimensional Area" capable of encompassing the whole of Earth? He'd need MILLIONS of "Dimensional Converters" all across the world to work at the same time!" Netto argued back.

"Oh. Not really. He thought of a cool manner which is being built secretly somewhere in Akihara City." He admitted with a giggle.

"What?" Netto was surprised.

"Maybe Laser Man will complete it and you'll get to see it in action in a few months from here… But let's not derail off-topic, shall we?"

ZAP!

"Grah! Go to Hell!"

"The Living Hell…?" Forte sounded sinister for some reason or another.

"There's no Living Hell." Netto shot back.

"What? Oh, no, no… There is one... The night..." He teased.

"The night…? What nonsense is that?" He looked skeptical

"The "Secret Empire"… Those damned thugs… It was hard enough to shake them off. I hope they don't come back with an RPG-7."

"RPG-7? What's that? It ain't an RPG game, right?"

"What? No. Of course not. That's an anti-tank missile."

"I doubt it. But then they aren't "thieves" per se, right?" Netto guessed.

"No. I made that up. But enough farce. They've come for _YOU_."

"For _ME_?" Netto gasped and looked horrified.

"Yeah. And what they want is your body. They don't want any information to begin with. They'd made a move sooner or later. But fortunately, over the span of this last half a year, they've started to fight each other and their "unity", which was artificial to begin with, is breaking up. So I think that those thugs were sent from the high echelons." He explained.

"And what do they want outta my body?" Netto questioned.

"Maybe you'll figure out with time." He vaguely replied.

ZAP!

"Grah! I demand to know what they want out of me!" He demanded.

"I said it before, didn't I? Your body..." Forte shrugged.

"That's not a specific answer!" Netto complained.

ZAP!

"Shutting thread… Open a new one." He suddenly announced.

"Stop playing forum moderator!" Netto fumed while making a grimace.

"So? What's the juicy trick? Some complicated spell?" Forte leant closer to his head from behind.

"Spell…! Spells don't exist." Netto grumbled with obvious annoyance.

"J. K. Rowling says different." He taunted.

"Don't come up with Harry Potter again! Go to Hell with an elevator and leave me alone! You psycho jerk…!" Netto snapped at the guy.

"Yeah, I know I'm a psycho jerk. Now. Answer me..."

"I refuse!" Netto shot back.

ZAP!

"You're not in a position to refuse, my hostage." Forte warned.

"And what if the power of Rock Man's "Ultimate Program" is too much to handle, huh?" He challenged.

"What? How can you know that?" He stopped, surprised.

"I don't "know"! I'm making up a "what-if" _scenario_!"

"Hum. Maybe I should try to run simulations… But let's not get off-topic either. I'll ask once again: what's – the – trick?" He demanded.

"You know it already! Go search the database! You'll find them there!"

"I won't stick out my neck so easily. Tell me the size of the files. If I know that then my search will be easier." Forte replied while sounding annoyed.

"I dunno! I've never used that before!"

"100 MB? 150? 200?"

"Dunno!"

"Che. I'm rushing it all and I'm sure to meet trouble." He grumbled.

"Hah! Take that. Your plans are not gonna go anywhere at this rate!"

ZA~P!

"GRUWA~H!"

The intense current made Netto faint and Forte fumed as he tossed the taser into the table and stormed off the room.

"Shit. I dunno what happened. I suddenly felt like taking out all of my frustration on the guy. I shouldn't have done that. Well! Whatever. Tomorrow will be the 7th day. And my secondary plan is progressing as I'd calculated, anyway. It was a smart idea to come up with that."

_I'm a genius and no – one is gonna get in MY way! Heh, heh, heh, heh!_


	9. Chapter 9: Threats

**Chapter 9: Threats**

12:12 PM (Japan Time), Saturday March the 17th…

"… Why did you place me face-down on the bed?"

"I'll try something else."

"What?"

"This."

TCHAC!

"Grah! That's a whip!"

"Yeah. I'm running out of patience. Are those files in the database to begin with? Is there such a thing as a random protocol?"

Forte had immobilized Netto in the bed and placed him face-down and suddenly drew a whip which he used to hit the rear of his right shoulder: Netto arched his body and cursed while Forte sounded annoyed.

"Ask Laika!"

"I will when I find the moment to do that. Now, back on topic."

TCHAC!

"Look it up on the damned database!"

"By the way! Now I remember… Yesterday… The Net Police showed up at the spot we were at… How did they know the location? Those thugs wouldn't think of letting it out."

"Dunno! Maybe they realized about those robberies you made!"

"Ah. Yeah. That had to be it, I guess…"

"Try simulating what'll happen when you try to absorb Rock Man's "Ultimate Program"!" Netto challenged.

"I've been working on that. But it's still incomplete."

"Not my problem! You ugly-faced jerk."

TCHAC!

"Grah! You coward! Fight me in a fair and square battle!" Netto challenged while tugging at the ropes.

"No. I prefer to stir up your rage and hatred. And tugging the ropes won't change anything. They won't be undone so easily."

"You damned coward!" Netto growled.

"What did I say about manners?"

TCHAC!

"I don't care! Leave me alone and take care of your petty simulations to begin with! Go fight Champion Daigo!"

"Champion Daigo? You mean _former_ Champion Daigo."

"Whatever!"

TCHAC!

"Wanna kill me? Go ahead!"

"I won't fall for that stupid taunting."

"Why do those "Secret Empire" guys want my body?"

"It's still early to know."

"Early to know! I decide when I want to know something! Now, spit it out, you rascal! I won't tell you anything about Rock Man unless you tell me what'll happen to me!"

"Need Not To Know. _Shiru hitsuyou wa nai_."

"Who decides that? Your ugly aunt?"

"My ugly aunt? Hah. That's a first. I'll patent it. You can invent intriguing words when you feel like it, Hikari. That amuses me and makes you an interesting guy." He laughed.

"Whatever! Get lost in Utah finding Wily!"

TCHAC!

"I've held on for a week: I can hold on for another week!" Netto challenged him.

"Be glad I'm permissive. Any other guys would've made you suffer constantly and deprive you of food or sleep until you broke down in a pitiful manner…" He warned.

"Damn. Why are there so many cruel people out there?" Netto cursed aloud.

"Dunno. Guess the Demon God is stirring up violence." Forte made a shrugging gesture.

"Demon God! Don't make me laugh. There's no Demon God." Netto shot back with obvious skepticism.

"Gufuu says otherwise."

"The guy from _The Legend of Zelda: The Mysterious Hat_? He was a sorry fellow to begin with." He was unimpressed.

_Netto – kun. I haven't spoken to you too much in these days, but… I can't stand this anymore! It's gotten too dangerous! _

_No! Niisan! DON'T come out! It's a trap! Do you want to die in vain? What will Papa say? After the struggle we went through in October to revive you when Pharaoh Man had deleted you…!_

_B-but… Netto –kun… As your Net Navi, I must look after you… I'm ditching my duties! You can't image the huge dilemma this is posing for me! It drives me mad, Netto – kun! I MUST come out! I must fight that guy!_

_DON'T! I'm telling you I'm the one protecting you! What point is there to dying just like that? There isn't! So stay there! _

_But, Netto – kun!_

_STAY THERE!_

… _Alright, Netto – kun…_

"... Yo! Hikari! Oi! Oi! Come back from dreaming of new Pokémon, have you?" Forte taunted.

"Who knows?"

"Mr. Montanelli gotta know."

"An accomplice of yours…? An Italian…?"

"No. A reporter who wrote a pair of books about the history of ancient Rome and Greece…"

"I dunno why you brought the guy up then. He's unrelated to this whole business to begin with if he lives in Italy… Unless you were trying to fool me with some tale of the Mafia…"

"Who knows? Maybe to test you out… And I don't need to come up with Mafia tales like those in Gotham City… So? Are the files on the database or are they somewhere else? The Science Labs?"

"Send a "double" to check it out: and then Magic Man, Shadow Man, and Magnet Man will sue you for stealing their technique. They'll see you in court." Netto formed a smug grin.

"Oho… So you find it amusing, eh? Maybe you'll find it amusing that I bring someone else into the picture? Such as Hikawa Tooru?" He threatened with a hint of evil to his voice.

"Ah! No! Don't involve Tooru – kun into this! He doesn't know anything to begin with! Don't lay your dirty hands on him! Did you hear me? This is between you and me, Forte!"

"Ah. But maybe the sight of him suffering in front of your eyes will shatter all of the walls you've built around you and you'll confess Rock Man's missing parts' location… Wouldn't you?"

"No! No! Don't involve him!"

"Heh, heh, heh. Feel the despair crawling into you… The terror and fear which will rule over your heart… As you sink into the blackness… And become a lesser Nâzgul… Wouldn't that be fitting?"

"Is that what Regal intended to do to me?"

"More or less. He wanted to brainwash you into being a lesser agent under the orders of Yuriko and infect Rock Man with a "Dark Chip" containing "Darkloid Factors" and a new personality file which would seal his normal one… He knew it wouldn't last forever but it'd keep the guys out there busy enough while he proceeded to build the system to create his worldwide "barrier"…" He elucidated.

"What a jerk!"

"No surprise. Given how Wily messed with their heads during those four years he treated them as lab mice…"

TCHAC!

"Well. Enough expositions… Talk or I'll drag Hikawa here right now. I'll warp to his house, pick him, and bring him. Let's see how well he endures my whip, shall we?"

"No! Please! Don't involve him!" He pleaded.

"Then confess!"

"Damn it! They're on the database, alright! Their compressed size is about 148 MB!" He admitted while making a grimace.

"See? It wasn't that hard. I'll dare going there but I'll bring some reinforcements with me which will keep those guys busy enough while I look it up. And I hope the Jedi wannabe doesn't show up. But in case he did I've got something to keep him busy too."

"Sorry, Rock Man…! I had to…! I had to…!" Netto sobbed.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… Be glad, Hikari… You've ensured the future of Earth! Now it's only a matter of time… I think that I've figured what will signal the guy's return… And I think he'll reach us by the end of May… But I'll be ready by then. Let them come! I'll defeat them. And gain their power… Thus becoming INVINCIBLE!"

_Laugh on, you jerk…! You'll be captured! I know it!_

15:57 PM (Japan Time)…

"… So! We know the cloaked swordsman got there ahead of us but Forte escaped them by mere seconds… They left a note behind…"

"Yeah. But that doesn't solve the matter of where he escaped at or who the swordsman was. But the note was weird."

"Sure… "I'm sorry for this stealth behavior but I'm in a delicate position: I can't come out publically. Please pretend we haven't been around. My position should consolidate in the next two months and then you'll be able to know who I am. But I am an ally of justice." …"

Search Man, Blues and Thunder Man were discussing inside of the database while sounding rather tired and defeated and with no wonder to begin with.

"The note looked like it'd been written on the spot… But Forte left behind that block with those questions and answers… Weren't those rather weird to begin with?" Laika commented.

"Sure. I dunno why he would ask those." Enzan shrugged.

"Maybe he wanted to play Mr. Evil Genius." Raoul suggested.

The rumbling of a thunderbolt rang out all of a sudden and some "clouds" formed there to give way to a sudden downpour which began to flood the area: the Navis jumped atop some platforms.

"Forte! He's back!" Blues gasped.

"Look!"

"Is that…?"

"Kaiorga! The legendary Sea Basin Pokémon of _Pocket Monsters: Sapphire_!" Enzan exclaimed.

"By all the… And it brings the Universal Downpour along?" Raoul cursed.

"Apparently…"

"Kaiooga~!"

The Pokémon appeared atop the waves and let out its cry before diving again and causing for some waves to hit the towers.

"This is 2nd perimeter! The area's become abnormally hot and dry and there's another red giant Pokémon here!"

"Damn. Groudon. _Pocket Monsters: Ruby_. The Continent Pokémon…!"

"This is 1st perimeter! A greenish dragon has showed up here and it's emitting some supersonic waves!"

"Damn it all! That's Rayquaza, _Pocket Monsters: Emerald!_ Sky High Pokémon! The Hoenn Region Legendary Weather Trio…!"

"Look! There they are!"

They looked up to see Forte scanning the database with a "Dream Aura" surrounding his figure: he was chuckling and seemingly didn't mind the other Navis.

"Thunder Man! That thing is yours. The other two can be defeated by the use of the "Ice Cannon Ball" and the "Aqua Tower"!"

"Roger! Let's go, Thunder Man!"

"Ou!"

Blues and Search Man jumped at Forte's spot but he merely swung his right arm and a circle of purplish flames formed around him: he chuckled and continued searching.

"69% completed! Soon I shall have it! And afterwards… Blues! I'll be having your "Ultimate Program" too! Then the Cybernetic God will fall before my power! Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah!"

"Do you think I'll let you?" Blues challenged as he drew a Neo Variable Sword and swung it.

"You'll have to beat us first!" Search Man challenged.

"Battle Chip, Super North Wind! Slot In!"

"Battle Chip, Ice Cannon Ball! Slot In!"

The Super North Wind blew the Dream Aura and the flames away and the Ice Cannon Ball trapped Forte but he broke out very quickly.

"Air Burst!"

He formed some spheres of yellowish energy which he shot at them but they dodged and they hit the ground instead.

"87%! Another 19 seconds!"

"Missed me?"

"No way!"

"Way."

The cloaked swordsman suddenly showed up from nowhere behind Forte and leant one side of the blade against his neck.

"Stealth camouflage… Something I borrowed from Shadow Moses Island a while ago…"

"Crap…! 96%! Another 8 seconds…!"

"That's as far as you come."

"Aren't ya worried about the…?"

"The thugs…? No big deal. They'll be out of job in less than two months from now on. IQ's done for, anyway."

"IQ! The Big Boss of the "Secret Empire"…! You know them?"

"Well. Not personally, but… Well… That doesn't concern you. I'll bring you to our base and we'll figure out where Hikari Netto and Rock Man are at: and just that you know… Even if you absorbed Rock Man, its power would be too much for you and you'd end up in a semi-stable "Soul Unison" – like status… But Rock Man would be in control. It'd demand a lot of HP from both of you and when they hit the lower limit, it'd come undone. No matter how many times you try it won't make you stronger forever. And forget about Blues': you'd end up in a similar manner."

"No way! Rock Man would control me, you say?"

PING!

"Ah! The search results! At last! Huh! Nothing? Zero? Damn: you moved them elsewhere! I should've thought of it!"

"Hmpf. The Net Police doesn't waste its time."

"Damn it!"

"Come."

"Like Hell! Dream Aura!"

"Uack!"

The "Dream Aura" split them apart and Forte quickly broke down into data while the cloaked swordsman did the same.

"Well! We deleted those beasts, so…" Blues muttered.

"And it'd seem that Forte's ambitions are in vain." Search Man looked slightly surprised.

"That guy surely wasn't kidding." Thunder Man guessed.

"And they have stealth camouflage too… Hence why they could move around undetected…" Enzan muttered.

"Search Man has the camouflage ability as well." Laika admitted.

"That comes in handy." Raoul grinned.

"But… It'd seem these guys are attempting to bring about the collapse of the "Secret Empire"… And given the signs of gunfight we found on Forte's previous hideout… Some thugs tried to make their way in and he managed to repel them somehow... Things are getting dire."

"Yeah… I don't want to imagine what could happen to Netto if those guys got to him… We gotta have our eyes and ears open… I've had to deal with that in my Heaven's Town too… That Mayor rascal… He was accepting bribes from those jerks to throw off any investigation into them… This is starting to look like Gotham City even… Where the police were filled with corruption and were so selfish…" Raoul grumbled.

16:18 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Ops. I got out in a rush and left you there…"

"Whatever. I've been napping."

"Well! The Net Police guys moved it elsewhere and I barely ditched the Jedi wannabe who's got stealth camouflage too."

"Don't blame me. You threatened me."

"Yeah, I know. I'll hit the Science Labs tomorrow. Let's see: where did I leave the drug syringes at…? Oh crap! I forgot them there!"

"Heh."

"Whatever. Your mere strength won't be able to overcome mine and all these days must've made your body sluggish as a side-effect."

"Che."

Forte came back into the refuge and spotted how Netto was still face-down on the bed and blindfolded: he firstly grinned but when he brought up another topic he grumbled.

"Heh, heh, heh…"

Forte sat on the bed and gripped his jaw to rub it: Netto fumed while Forte then used his left hand's fingers to slide down his naked back: he stopped at the waist and then continued sliding down the right leg: he giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Heh, heh, heh. You've got some _sex appeal_. No wonder those guys want to get their hands in you so badly… But that won't happen…"

"What's "sex appeal"?"

"You don't need to know yet. Well then… Tomorrow there'll be more: go ahead and tackle the rematch against the Shitenou…"

_I just felt a shudder go down my spine… Why? I've got a bad feeling…_


	10. Chapter 10: By mere inches

**Chapter 10: By mere inches**

11:50 AM (Japan Time), Sunday March the 18th…

"… So! You're now hunting all the Pokémon you can catch in this edition and then you'll be almost done?"

"Yeah. Too bad that, since this is thing is an emulator, it can't use the Wi-Fi Adapter or Link Cable functions to transfer Pokémon…"

"Heh, heh, heh…"

"Didn't you have to hit the Science Labs?"

"When I feel like, _cool guy_."

"Whatever."

"The ever."

Forte was teasing Netto as he played his game over the computer but Netto was unimpressed.

"By the way! Did you know it? _Pocket Monsters Green_ never made it outside of Japan. Instead they picked _Red _and the _Blue_ edition which came later." He let out.

"Dunno why they did that."

"I dunno too. The _Green _sprites didn't make it overseas either." He made an exasperated sigh.

"They lost a big deal of the stuff."

"And they also "localized" a lot of names, as usual… Almost all Pokémon in each generation are localized, but, lately, the legendaries are left untouched, which is something. But they suck at making up "localized" movie titles, too…" He teased next.

"That's their style. I'm Japanese. I don't care."

"Sure, sure. Say… You wanna become a scientist?"

"Dunno. I'm not looking _that_ forward."

"Of course not… But do you think Mariko – sensei will approve of skipping so many classes?" He joked.

"Come on! It's not like I'm doing that on purpose: it's because YOU are the guy keeping me hostage when my usefulness has expired. I told you what you wanted to know already."

"But I won't be satisfied until I get my hands on the files and try out if the cloaked Jedi wannabe was right…"

"About what?"

"About those "Ultimate Programs" being too much for me to handle and that they'd end up creating some kind of fusion which would break up in less than five minutes…"

"Oho. So my "what-if" could turn into reality."

"So! Maybe we need a "Matadogas" to get rid of that guy by trying to poison him and see his HP slowly decreasing with each step made? Heh, heh, heh."

"Dunno. Ask Dogars."

"The pre-evolution of Matadogas, eh?"

"Go challenge that Dakim Shadow Admin in the Mt. Battle."

"Oho. I'd like to. And I'd pick off his "Dark" Entei along the way."

"That's what Leo did."

"Leo? Is that the officially recognized name of the protagonist? Well. Why not… It sounds catchy and simple." He giggled.

"Try bringing the Jotho Legendaries next."

"Sure. I'll rip their 3D sprites from _Colosseum_."

"Venus will miss Suikun. And Borg will miss Raikou."

"Sure. And Mirror B. will miss his Usokkie."

"And Jakira will miss his Metagross."

"And, finally… Wardack will miss his Bangiras."

"But! Wardack will replace that with a Bossgodora."

"And Jakira will bring in a replacement Foodin."

"Next! Mirror B. will summon an Armaldo."

"Venus would rather use a beautiful Milokaross."

"Dakim, being the brute he is, will use a Hellgar."

"And that brings us to Borg… Who will use a Livolt."

"Heh, heh, heh."

"Hum."

"So? Aren't you itching to see the sequel? The protagonist is younger and all but there'll be a wider world to explore! This summer! The trailers show that a "Dark Lugia" will be involved… And by Devil! The guy sure looks evil and sinister. And what power! He can lift a whole ship without too much effort…" He giggled.

"That's a first." Netto calmly tapped the edge of the desk.

"Heh, heh, heh."

"Enough _Pocket Monsters_ chit-chat... When will you release me?"

"When I get my hands on the files…"

"And what if they aren't in the Science Labs either?"

"Then maybe they're overseas."

"Are you gonna chase them across the whole world?" Netto sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. I will. And maybe I'll bring you a _souvenir_."

"What's the "Cybernetic God"?"

"As far as I've figured out… A gigantic Net Navi with powers which not even Wily was able to totally figure out…"

"And what did the guy do to Regal and Yuriko?"

"He "revived" them."

"WHAT?"

"Yeah. He turned them into his "Probes" to monitor Earth and the Earthlings plus our Network evolution."

"Network evolution…! Of course…! 15 years ago the Network was still very simplistic and couldn't do much…" Netto realized.

"Yeah. By the way, have you heard of "Jackass"?"

"No."

"He was a guy of 20 years ago who came up with a hacking program in the form of 3 pillars capable of opening any lock… He stole lots of Cyber Money from that age's banks and got foiled trying to steal data from the Ameroupe Army… He's a legend amongst hackers."

"Huh. And why do you bring the guy up now?"

"To tease ya~…"

"Sure, sure. Just go start your worldwide tour. Maybe you'll figure out what happened on that November day in which I stumbled upon Count Elec on his family manor… Rock Man said he heard a granny's voice during the battle." He challenged.

"Ah! Yes, yes. So that's why you were so resistant to the taser: you've had an electrical experience before. And I know Gauss and Count Elec had that showdown aboard the zeppelin over that Chip left behind by Dr. Wily which sunk into the ocean… Too bad." He giggled.

"It was the best outcome."

"Did you know they flooded the control center of the airfield with a curry soup to then pick off that chopper?"

"No surprise."

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… That was an intense competition!"

"Sure, sure."

"And you played Solid Snake."

"Played Solid Snake? What's that?"

"I mean… You snuck onboard without triggering the alarms and managed to get all the way to the duel room."

"Well. Yeah. That's true."

"Heh, heh, heh. _No pain no gain_!"

"What?"

"You don't get anything without struggling."

"Guess that applies to exams." He rolled his eyes.

"Yo and behold! The King's come back!"

"… A _Lord of the Rings_ rip-off…?"

"Yessir. Catchy…?"

"Dunno. Ask Aragorn."

"Aragorn II."

"How do you know that?" Netto frowned.

"It's on the 3rd book's appendixes."

"Ah. I see. Fine, fine. Go invent Book Man, Mr. Smart, and leave me alone, will you? Or else go Invent Ring Man and make him produce placebo Rings of Power." Netto challenged.

"My, my. That'd be cool to see."

"Dunno. Go to the Science Labs already with Flame Emperor, Thunder Duke and Water Monarch. En-tei, Rai-kou and Sui-kun." He made a smug smile.

"Huh? Oh yes… That's the meaning of Entei's, Raikou's and Suikun's names. Well… I'll be going there. Heh, heh!"

12:22 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Alright. Start search…"

"Soul-searching…?"

"Yikes! Not you again…!"

"You're predictable. Too predictable..."

"Who the hell are you?"

"An ally of justice…"

"That's not what I meant!"

"The Greek…"

"Greek?"

Forte had begun to look for data somewhere in the Science Labs while battling sounds rang out not too far from there when the cloaked swordsman showed up again.

"That's enough about me. Where's Hikari Netto at?"

"In your imagination, Moran…!" He shot back.

"I ain't Colonel Sebastian Moran."

"Then you're a Wesker wannabe?" He taunted.

"Wesker? Dunno." The guy replied.

"Check out _Biohazard_, Mr. Intelligent."

"Get to the point."

"Come! Hoou!"

"What!"

"Go! "Clear Sky"! "Sacred Flames"! "Daimonji"! "Primeval Power"! Blow this guy to pieces!"

"Ho~ou~!"

"Shit."

"See ya!"

Forte jumped elsewhere as the Hoou began to attack the cloaked Navi who cursed under his breath and tried to stand up to the attacks: Forte checked out another server and began to look up.

"If it ain't here then it's overseas… Lugia! Come out and keep that guy busy too."

"Not Lugia too!" The guy cursed.

"Heh, heh, heh! _No pain no gain_!"

"This guy…!"

"Go! "Rain Prayer"! "Hydro Pump"! "Aero-blast"! "Speed Star"!"

"Shit, shit AND SHIT!"

"More, more AND MORE~! Celebi! "Mistletoe Seed"! "Mind-power"! "Future Sight"! "Destruction Song"!"

"Shit!"

The guy was now trying to deal with the three of them at the same time while Forte giggled and brought up some data: he then spotted something and downloaded the data there by pressing his right hand outstretched palm against the screen's surface.

"Coded data but it seems to be some years old… Maybe it can be useful: it might some old project I could recycle… After all, Wily was the one who firstly came up with the "Dimensional Converters" and left equipment to work on them in his island manor… I wouldn't be surprised if Shade Man tried to use those to gain his own "Converters" by the time he manages to kick Laser Man out…" He muttered.

"There! The phoenix jerk is down…! Huff, huff…! You two come next: I'll make bits and bytes outta you~!" The cloaked warrior grumbled.

"Let the guy struggle in vain…"

"Thunderbolt!"

"Sonic Boom!"

"Satellite Ray!"

"What?"

Forte gasped and saw how the attacks landed on Lugia thus deleting the monster: Celebi suddenly began to sing some kind of song with a doom-like feeling to it and the other Navis gasped.

"Heh, heh, heh! In 5 minutes you'll all be down!" Forte giggled.

"You guys seek the same we do. Why don't we join forces?" The cloaked Navi suggested.

"I don't mind. What about you two?" Blues asked.

"If it's to rescue Rock Man, then I'm in." Search Man replied.

"Ou! Let's go!"

"Go! Blues!"

"Roger, Enzan – sama!"

"Search Man! Corner them!"

"Roger! Search Grenades! Scope Gun! Satellite Ray!"

"Thunder Man! Elec Wheel!"

"Ou! Elec Wheel!"

"Hah!"

Search Man threw some grenades which landed around Forte, startling hi, but gave him no break time as he hit his right shoulder with the Scope Gun's shot and then attacked from behind with the laser: Blues shot the Sonic Boom and knocked him off the tower to be intercepted mid-air by an electrical tornado Thunder Man made up: he got electrocuted and then the cloaked Navi caught him and swung him around before shooting him off towards the ground where he ended up crashing.

"Grah! Damn it! I need backup! Go! You Viruses!"

A swarm of Viruses formed and Forte somehow got to his feet: he panted but then the cloaked Navi caught him and forcibly warped him along to appear in another Cyber World which seemed to be a central square: it was poorly lit and the only noticeable thing was a huge 3D image of the Earth which was slowly rotating and displaying day/night zones along with a red dot orbiting around the planet.

"No more running away this time."

"That's what ya think! Hell's Buster!"

He suddenly aimed the Hell's Buster at the guy's jaw given how he was taller than him and shot some close-quarter rounds which knocked the guy away: Forte jumped some meters across and ran only to be met with a black-colored firewall which had two steel doors built there but sealed up by a laser barrier and a control panel.

"Shit. I can't do normal "Log-Out" here!"

"Of course not: I locked it up on the very instant we came in."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Need Not To Know."

"Damn it! Dark Arm Blade!"

Forte clashed blades with the guy and struggled in the deadlock but the guy didn't seem to tire and Forte had to start to step back and yield terrain: he cursed under his breath.

"Hell's Rolling!"

He formed two wheels with indented edges and which travelled across the ground: the guy blocked them and Forte began to run parallel to the walls: he realized the room formed a circle and there were several doors set on the walls but all of them were locked: the guy began to run across the room to catch up with him and Forte looked around in a wild manner.

"Maybe the globe…?"

He ran towards it and tried to "jump" inside of it: he became data and was warped to somewhere else in the Cyber World.

"Huh… Dunno where this is at, but I better hurry…"

He became data again and escaped just as the guy got there too: he cursed something.

"Fuck! Boss! The jerk ran away! Why wasn't the main access locked down to begin with?"

"Weird. It should've locked up. Unless…" Someone replied through the radio while sounding puzzled.

"Unless?"

"Damn it. Transferring the two of you at the same time made the system trigger an automated scan of the data at slow speed mode and it was still on the midst of it hence why it was open. I should rewrite the security system for that. Damn it. I'm such an idiot."

"Huff. Well. We're not perfect."

"… Huff! Damn it! This is the 3rd serial time! I'm starting to run out of patience! Where the hell is the guy at?"

"We dunno, really… If only we could get any account of suspicious movements or catch "Dimensional Converter" signatures when he robs storage bays and stores…" The cloaked guy muttered.

"Shit."

"Cool it down, Boss. I'll be coming back."

"Grah! They can't hope to run away forever! They'll make a mistake! They'll leave a trail! And I'll catch them! My word! A hint! My kingdom for a hint…!" The man grumbled.

"Now's not the moment to quote Shakespeare, Boss…"

"Stick out your damned smug face! I'll freeze that smile on it!"

_We need to capture the guy or else… Things will get ugly._


	11. Chapter 11: Almost there

**Chapter 11: Almost there**

18:13 PM (Japan Time), Sunday March the 18th…

"… This is the Net Police. How may I help you with?"

Enzan had picked up a call which had come in while he was reunited with Laika, Kifune and Manabe.

"… Hello? I think I can help find out where that criminal which you're seeking is at." A man's voice announced.

"Is that so?" Enzan was surprised.

"I'm from a small town named Kanda… There's a big building built next to a mountain five clicks north from here. I've seen a suspicious van coming in and out during the night ever since one or two days ago. There have also been some break-ins into convenience stores and supermarkets as well as their storage buildings… If it was the criminal getting the food for his prisoner, it'd make sense, wouldn't it?" The man detailed.

"May we have your name, sir?" Enzan requested.

"Yeah. Takada Maji. I work as private security for the City Council building." The man announced.

"We'll check that building out: the possibilities of it being the place we're looking for are very high." Enzan announced.

"Thank you. Good luck." Takada replied.

"Thank you for your help, sir." Enzan thanked.

"You're welcome."

Everyone soon sprung into action: Laika ran out to go request a property register check-up on the building.

"Kanda. That's about ninety kilometers north-west of Densan City. There's a highway link, so we should be able to get there in just fifty minutes, more or less. We could recon the place and then try to see if we can get inside. So we'd be there around 19:30 PM."

Enzan announced the location after checking it up with his PET II and then suggested a course of action.

"It's risky. But bringing a full riot squad would take longer and this was why he escaped us last time. Be careful, Enzan – kun." Commissioner Kifune agreed with the plan.

"I've looked it up! The place used to belong to a dummy company controlled by "Nebula": it hid some components which Regal wanted for something there." Laika ran in with some printed documents.

"Laika! You and I are gonna bring war to Forte today. It definitely ends today." Enzan announced.

"I totally agree, Ijuuin. It's about time we taught that villain that the Net Police won't allow a "Net Savior" to be abducted right under our noses and then laugh at our faces. And the "other party" will be glad too: we know the culprit escaped from them a few hours ago."

"Enzan – sama. I am always ready." Blues announced.

"When it comes to security please leave it up to me, Laika - sama. I shall unlock it." Search Man politely announced.

"One thing, Laika – kun. Don't be rash to Netto - kun: he's not to blame for this whole affair." Kifune ordered.

"I understand, Hikari – hakase."

"You drive." Enzan told him.

"That's fine." Laika shrugged.

"Good luck!"

"Thank you!"

"Go!" Commissioner Kifune commanded.

"Let's go, Laika!"

"Alright!"

19:38 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Here's the place…"

Both Enzan and Laika crept near the large black-colored ominous building and took cover behind a thick tree: the building had no windows at all and its perimeter was protected by barbed wire fences as well as CCTV cameras.

There was a post attached to one of the doors.

"PRIVATE PROPIERTY: DO NOT TRESPASS"

"I'm sorry, but we'll have to." Enzan sarcastically muttered.

"How is it like, Search Man?" Laika asked.

"… The fences are not really electrified and the CCTV cameras are props to intimidate curious people. It'd seem they were _extremely _short on budget." Search Man reported.

"I'd never guessed it." Blues sounded surprised.

"This is our golden chance to get inside unnoticed: let's cut a hole on the fence." Enzan suggested as he took out a pair of wire cutters he'd brought with him.

"Good thinking." Laika smiled.

Enzan quickly cut a hole wide enough for them to fit and rushed towards the side door which had only a cheap lock on it: Enzan took out a paper clip and used it to unlock the door.

"I guess Regal never came in person to check the security: had he done so, he'd immediately regretted wasting so much money on this building and beheaded the one who built it." Enzan grinned.

"I guess this must be sequels from the burst of the construction bubble in the 90s." Laika guessed.

They entered the garage and immediately spotted the van they'd been looking for and they then found an armored door: they both nodded…

19:48 PM (Japan Time)…

"… So? Where in the world are the missing parts at?"

"I dunno! Papa only told me they'd be in either the Science Labs or the Net Police HQ."

"And they weren't in either."

"Maybe you didn't find them because they are being swapped between both of those?"

"Damn. I didn't think of that. After the escape I had from that guy's weird Cyber World I don't feel like coming out anymore."

"So having me tied to the bed is rather pointless by now!"

"Not really."

"Oh yeah? Elucidate."

Netto had been placed face-down on the bed and tied again but he didn't seem to be nervous at all: Forte was sitting on the edge and mumbling but when Netto brought the pointlessness of the whole deal Forte seemed to get cocky.

"Heh, heh, heh. By tomorrow everything will become clear. And to make sure you can't try to assault me by surprise… I'll leave you like that for a while: I've got some data to check out…"

"Whatever. I've made enough progress in _Fire Red_ to be satisfied: only a few Pokémon are left."

"Heh, heh, heh. Well then… Feel cocky while you can."

"What?"

"Heh, heh, heh. Later, _cutie_."

Forte stood up and walked over to the desk where he began to work with the laptop after sitting down on the chair in front.

_Let's check the data I got… Huff. There's a lot._

"Oi. You still there…?"

"Who knows?"

"Let me sleep at the very least!"

"Nope. I feel like being strict today."

"Che."

"Struggle all you want: make some groans."

"Who's gonna make groans?" Netto shot back.

"Maybe your_ aniki.._."

"Niisan? I mean… Rock Man? Why would he?"

"Doesn't he always do that when he's hit?"

_Well. True. That's what happens to me and I can't help but feel ashamed at doing that of all things._

_Come on! Niisan! It's not like you suppress pain! Right?_

_Well, Navis have pain receptors. They can be turned off but almost nobody bothers to because then it feels like unfair._

_By the way… What does "cutie" mean?_

"_Cutie"? "Kawaii", I think…_

"… Oho. Interesting."

"What?"

"The secrets of gambling in Las Vegas…!"

"Ah. Whatever."

_Now he wants to play gambler? _

_He's really gotten weird ever since December. But at least it'd seem he doesn't have a reason to torture you anymore, Netto – kun._

_Yeah… I should be glad of that. _

Forte glanced over his shoulder at Netto's immobile form and spotted that he sometimes seemed to be about to speak aloud but quickly shut his mouth.

_Weird... Huh? Ah. The decoding finished… Let's see… Huh? Why. Some files related to the Hikari Family… Let's read them! Hikari Family: Hikari Tadashi (deceased), Hikari Yuuichirou (current head), Hikari Haruka (wife), Hikari Netto (younger son), Hikari _Saito_ (deceased, older son)… Hikari Netto and Saito born as twin brothers on June the 9__th__, 1993… What! So Hikari had an elder twin brother who died? And maybe Rock Man reminds him of that brother? _ _Or maybe… I still haven't bothered to fully analyze Rock Man's body yet… I thought I saw something back in December which I didn't realize… But when looking up his memories, he called Hikari Yuuichirou "Papa"… Maybe the father also sees his son on him? Or wait a minute! Maybe Rock Man is intended to be a recreation of Hikari Saito? To try to make it look like he's still alive…? Huh… More files... Let's try saying something random._

"This _Saito_ is interesting."

"How do you know that name?" Netto uttered.

"What? I said "saito". Intanetto Saito."

"Ah! My bad." He muttered while sounding relieved.

"Well. Your own name can be taken as meaning "Net"…"

"But my name is written with _kanji_!"

"I know, I know."

"Che. I'm trying to nap."

"And to conduct an imaginary conversation with Rock Man…?" He tried asking next.

"What?" He gasped again.

"Dunno. It looks like it when you move your lips like that."

"I move my lips?"

"What. You yourself hadn't realized?" He sounded surprised.

"No."

"Heh, heh, heh. It'd seem you believe in telepathy!"

"Who knows? Ask Gym Leader Natsume." He shot back.

"Yeah, the Esper Type chick… I liked how she carried a whip in the Gen I and Gen II games but have now removed it… And how cool they made her in the _Pocket Monsters Special Manga_… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh." He chuckled.

_These files… An experiment carried out 6 years ago? Digitizing human DNA, installing it into a Navi frame, granting a Navi self-thought capability and the possibility of evolution… Forming a "link" between Operator and Net Navi to interchange thoughts via DNA resonance… Wow! But this experiment was only done once: all modern Navis are developed in another manner but based on the principle of self-thought capability and evolution capability… But that experiment… Could it be? Apart from digitizing the DNA… Could you digitize human mind? Well! It's but a complicated electrical signal… If EEGs devices can display the level of activity then… So that means… Hikari Saito's mind, memories and DNA were installed into a Net Navi body and he was given the ID Rock Man EXE then? That's why he's so unique? And Hikari Netto knows that hence the nickname which isn't really a nickname…? Wait… I still have some of Pharaoh Man's memories in my head… The N1 Grand Prix Final day, what happened…? Rock Man received the attack from Pharaoh Man after pushing Blues asides. And his last words were… "Ne… tto… kun… o… to… u… to…" … Maybe Hikari didn't know by then? Hum. Well. I'll ask about that tomorrow. Today I'll leave him as he is. But tomorrow… Tomorrow will be juicy… The results of my "second plan" will become clear enough and it'll be VERY juicy… _

"… Man! What a lucky hit! I got my hands into some _Pocket Monsters Special _Volumes and I'm reading 'em… Cool! Wouldn't you say the same, Hikari?" He feigned.

"Hmmm… Lemme sleep…" Netto sleepily muttered.

"Heh, heh, heh. Tomorrow…!"

"There won't be a tomorrow for you!"

"What? No way!"

"Huh?"

A scout knife suddenly flew across the air and got stabbed into the right side of his torso: Forte violently sat up as Enzan and Laika burst in: Laika had a set of scout knives while Enzan carried a metal bar.

"Give it up, you rascal!" Enzan commanded.

"The "Net Saviors" are here!"

"Enzan! Laika!" Netto exclaimed.

"Not so fast, gentlemen! Hra~h!"

Forte jumped over the desk and ran towards Laika who ducked and plunged another knife into his right hip but Forte didn't mind it and kicked Laika on the torso with the left foot, making him hit the open armored door and be knocked out.

"One down…"

"You bastard…!"

Enzan stabbed another knife from behind but Forte whipped around and grabbed Enzan's shirt neck to lift him before violently throwing him against the wall.

"There."

"Damn it!" Netto cursed.

"You have a nap."

He hit Netto's head from behind with the steel bar to knock him out and then untied him to dress him on the pajamas: he packed the laptop and the PETs and also brought a black wheeled suitcase in.

"Too bad, guys... See ya! Hah, hah, hah, hah!"

20:20 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Enzan – sama!"

"Laika – sama!"

"Ugh…! My head…! Damn it all!"

"Fuck! My head's aching too…!"

Enzan and Laika woke up and somehow got to their feet while rubbing the backs of their heads: they grumbled and looked around.

"Shit. We got ditched again and that happened because we forgot that robot body can't feel pain."

"Damn. I feel like blowing it up with an RPG-7!"

"No wonder."

"I analyzed the "Dimensional Converter" signature but I can't pick it up on the surface, sir. He's surely underground, sir." Search Man reported with a sigh.

"Lovely. What now?" Blues growled.

"I can't see how we can do anything else. And we should report to Commissioner Kifune… Damn it!" Enzan cursed.

"Let's try to look for any hints he may have left behind in the rush to flee, Ijuuin."

"Sure. But I don't think they'll be very helpful either."

They began to search around: Enzan spotted an empty bottle the label of which had been cut off which had a few drops of something on the bottom: he picked it and examined it without opening it up: he frowned and tried to get a closer look at the thing.

"Maybe it was a medicine for something?"

"Or maybe a drug to keep him controlled…"

"Truth serum…?"

"I don't think so. Despite the name it's very unreliable. It's not 100% trustable to begin with."

"Alright. We'll have to bring this to a chemist's."

"What else… Take-away food, instant noodles, curry… A manual on knots and ropes…"

"We found a box with Hikari's usual clothes on the previous hideout too: it'd seem he's either keeping him only on his boxers or… Oh. There: a set of pajamas. So he had him be on pajamas. Dunno why. Maybe he thought like that he could undress him faster when he wanted to torture him: Rock Man reported that…" Enzan began saying.

"Rock Man reported? Oh! True. He's hidden in the PET. What did he report?"

"That Forte used a low-power taser from time to time to try to force the answers out of him… But he apparently didn't get anywhere at all to begin with and… Wait! What's that? A whip…!" Enzan spotted and gasped.

"Damn it. Even a whip…. Forte wasn't kidding around. I didn't get to see Hikari well but I think he had one or two wounds on his body back near the shoulders… That'd explain why he'd been tied face-down on the bed but I dunno why blindfold him with the bandana…"

"That psycho bastard…!"

"Ah! The damned rascal…" Blues growled.

"Maybe he thought he could make Netto get nervous like that. But point is: the guy won't stop at nothing to force answers out of him. And I'm not sure for how much longer he'll believe that Rock Man's consciousness and missing "Ultimate Program" portions are somewhere under the jurisdiction of the Net Police…" Enzan growled.

"Damn them all. This isn't over! I'll hunt them across the world!"

"That's my resolve too!" Search Man added.

_Hang on, Netto…! Just another little bit…! We're almost there…!_


	12. Chapter 12: The most horrible thing

**Chapter 12: The most horrible thing**

09:48 AM (Japan Time), Monday March the 19th…

"… Unh… Huh… Huh?"

Netto awakened to find out that he was yet again handcuffed, but, this time, he was placed face-up on the bed.

_Huh…? I'm not blindfolded… But I'm still handcuffed… Why does my sight look weird? These colors… Ah! It's a "Dimensional Area"!_

He looked at himself and began to panic: he had no clothes on.

"What!"

Netto also noticed that instead of ropes, his forearms had some kind of leather armor set on them linked together by a small slab of chain: a single chain pulled them upwards and connected with the iron railings of the bed north of him: his ankles had been cuffed and an iron bar kept them spread open while two chains connected each to the south railings.

"What's this weird gear?"

The gear consisted on a thin black leather band around his neck with a small metallic ring, two interconnected bands of adjustable bands which passed over his shoulders, ran down his sides and circled around his ankles, almost scratching his member.

A small circle had been set on the base of his cock with three bands circling around the whole of his sack.

"I feel ashamed…!" He muttered.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh."

He gasped and looked at his right to see Forte sitting on a chair next to him while being in his Net Navi form: he'd discarded the cloak and was leaning his right elbow on his right hip and pressing his right fist against the right side of his face while looking amused.

"Yo! The Sleeping Prince woke up?"

"What's this about? What did you to Enzan and Laika?"

"I had them have a nap: that's all."

"Damn it! What's this farce about?"

"This is no farce… It's the climax!"

"What?"

"Don't you remember how after each meal you'd go to the restroom and begin playing with your body parts to feel good?"

"Huh! You spied me!"

"That wasn't a coincidence: I drugged the food."

"You drugged the food!" He growled.

"And you began the training as I'd calculated. Now it's time to get to the climax, Hikari… This is S&M… _Slave & Master_… And you're the "slave" or "doorei"… My _sex slave_!"

"What!"

"You don't know what _sex_ is? Or are you pretending not to?"

"B-but that's… Adult stuff…!" He argued.

"Oh come on. They didn't tell you anything at all? Sex can be done between guys too. In fact… That "Secret Empire" deal is all about that: having guys and chicks your age be turned into sex slaves for the use of customers… That's why they wanted your body. You've got the looks and body shape which would attract a lot of clients…"

"T-that's sick!"

"I know, but this is how the world is. I'm just going to teach you so that your flesh remembers what it means. And let's have your Saito – niisan look on too."

"What!"

"Heh, heh, heh. I got my hands on some info in the Science Labs…"

"That means that…"

"I know he's been inside of your head all along! And that those guys have been playing along to fool me. Or maybe they really thought Rock Man was under their protection hence their persistence… Whatever. You'll be mine, Hikari Netto."

"Stay away from me!" Netto gasped.

"Too bad."

Forte opened a suitcase and took out two red plastic clothes pegs which he clipped to Netto's nipples after rubbing them with his fingers: Netto gasped twice in a row and then Forte drew out a black-colored penis imitation seemingly made of leather having some spots over its length and a metallic cylindrical base with a switch: Forte pushed it up and it began to hum: he suddenly began to stuff it inside of Netto's ass and he arched his body backwards.

"T-too big! You'll rip my ass apart! It won't fit!"

"It'll fit perfectly. It's 5cm wide. And there's room for another one: the ass seems to have been designed by Nature to be like that." Forte replied with a grin.

"This vibration…! I'm feeling hot…!"

"Ops. Then time to introduce the new tool."

Forte drew a string of thin bluish beads several centimeters long and millimeters wide with a ring wide enough to fit a finger atop them: he grabbed Netto's hardened cock and lowered the foreskin before opening up his urethra: Netto looked on with fear as if he could guess what he was going to do: Forte began to slide the thing in and Netto arched backwards while looking like he couldn't bear the sensation.

"N-no! Please! You'll tear it apart! No! No deeper! No!"

"Beg, moan, scream… I wanna hear plenty of those today."

"N-no more! Please! I can't bear it! No more!"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…"

Forte finished stuffing them in and then brought up a small thick string which he tied around the base of his cock in a very tight manner: he then rummaged on the suitcase and brought out two pairs of pinkish levers set on plastic frames and having two wires with two capsule-shaped objects at the end of each: he strapped them on Netto's hips and placed each pair above and below Netto's nipples with cello-tape before pushing the level to "MAX" and making them vibrate.

"There's more!"

He drew an array of eight clothes pegs and began to clip them one after the other on his balls: Netto looked like he was agonizing by now but Forte merely giggled and drew a new vibrator controller shaped like a bell: he placed it on his cock's head and secured it with tape before turning it on too.

"Uwah! Grah! A~h! Ua~h!" Netto screamed.

"Yeah! Go crazy from the sensations! You can't release like this: I'll deny you that pleasure because I'm the only one who can have pleasure! You're my tool to achieve pleasure! Here!"

He suddenly deleted the bodysuit armor over his crotch and drew an already hardened cock: he sat on the bed on his knees and looming over Netto's face: he picked it from behind and forced him to take his cock into his mouth: he began to force him to suck it by setting a pace.

"Suck it up, Hikari. You deserve that for making a fool of me. And for making me go and risk my hide out there three times in a row."

He kept on increasing the speed before he released and overfilled Netto's mouth: he then kissed him and forced him to share a prolonged kiss with him to Netto's shock as expressed by his eyes: he stopped and looked at the white string linking them.

"Heh, heh, heh. Remember this flavor, Hikari… Now…"

"N-no more…! Please…!" He begged.

"Begging me, eh? Too late. Once this begins it doesn't stop until I've totally turned you into my slave."

"Please…!" He began to cry.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh! Now comes this."

He suddenly rubbed his cock and stuffed it inside of Netto's insides: he began to pump in and out while at the same time pulling some of the clothes pegs on his balls: Netto's yells and moans increased and he couldn't stop arching his body.

"Heh, heh, heh… Another little bit…"

He suddenly plunged inside one last time and released: he took his cock out and grinned as he brought a set of beads way larger than the previous ones and began to stuff them up Netto's ass.

"Your own spasms and vibrations will suck them in, Hikari. Now you're being used well. Ah. One last detail…"

He took out a red spheroid with holes and two leather bands which he placed over his mouth and then fused the leather bands behind his head: Netto began to drool.

"With that ball-gag on you won't stop drooling. You look so horny by now, really… It fits you."

"CHARGE SHOT!"

"Uack!"

Something suddenly hit him from behind and then someone tackled him into the ground to begin punching him over and over again: Forte suddenly warped out of that place and reappeared further back in the room to see that Rock Man was the attacker: Rock Man quickly stood up and turned around while loading the Rock Buster and aiming it at him: he had a rage-filled look to his face.

"Hikari Saito! So you finally came out."

"YOU BASTARD! CHARGE SHOT!"

"Heh."

Forte extended his right hand and formed a yellowish sphere of energy which absorbed the Charge Shot and it turned pink before breaking down into energy which soon vanished.

"Heh, heh, heh. The party wouldn't be complete without you."

"Shaddup! Die! Charge…!"

"Slow!"

Forte warped again and reappeared behind Rock Man to grip his neck from behind using his right arm: he wasn't much taller than him, maybe five or six centimeters tall.

"Have a nap."

He suddenly clutched his chest emblem and formed some purple-colored electricity: Rock Man became limp and apparently lost consciousness: Forte inwardly giggled and led him to another bed: he placed him face-up there and then brought Netto's PET: he inputted some commands there and Rock Man's bodysuit and helmet faded away to reveal human skin beneath it and abundant brown neatly combed hair.

"Heh, heh, heh. What looks, Rock Man… Heh, heh, heh."

He opened another suitcase and began to set him up in the same gear Netto had: he clipped his nipples and set all pegs plus the beads inside of his cock and all the vibrators.

"I'll skip the warm-up and get straight to the action."

He tied him to the bed and finished setting him up: he pressed the right index finger against his forehead and he suddenly woke up: he began to struggle against the bindings but couldn't undo them.

"Heh, heh, heh. I've installed strength limiters on you."

"You bastard!"

"Why. Your otouto's rude speech got passed into you~?"

"Die!"

"Nope. I've still got to have fun with you, Rock Man… Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…!"

He turned on the anal vibrator and Saito began to moan: he continued with the nipples' ones and with the one on his cock's head: he quickly forced him to suck in his cock and begin to follow his pace.

"No matter how much you try it's impossible to release! Your otouto must be about to lose his will to fight back and become a good masochist who will want to be bullied and have more and more of this!"

He released inside of Saito's mouth and kissed him too: he began to play with the right nipple's clothes peg by slowly turning it around: Saito arched and looked in pain while Forte grinned: he ended the kiss and put the ball-gag on him as he began to rape his ass.

"Heh, heh, heh. Only someone like me could come up with this plan: now that I know that I can't achieve further power through absorbing your "Ultimate Programs" I'll find another way to… And I'll challenge the "Cybernetic God"… And emerge victorious!"

He released inside and grinned: he then untied him from the bed but quickly placed both arms behind him and tied them with two ropes circling above and below his nipples: he put him a leather collar with a chair attached to it and forced him to walk over to Netto's bed: he lifted him and had him sit on his knees over Netto's hardened cock before starting to have it enter Saito's ass: he forcibly lowered him there and took out the ass vibrator to stuff his own cock.

"This is how it feels to have 2 cocks inside of you! How is it? Doesn't it feel incredible? I'll train both of you too!"

He released inside of Saito and then placed over Netto but spun him 180º before taking out their ball-gags and having them suck each other's cocks off while he stuffed Saito's ass with the vibrator and beads: he then sat back on the chair and looked on at them.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh… Enough."

He stopped them and then turned Saito around as he placed the ball-gags on them again and put a collar on Netto too: he replaced the long collar chain for a short one and made them be very close to each other as they scratched their ball-gags against each other and rubbed their cocks together.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…"

He stopped them again and placed Saito face-up so that Netto's cock would get inside of him after he suddenly and brusquely pulled the anal beads out: he also took Netto's out and began raping his ass again while grinning.

"This is an S&M threesome! The ultimate experience! No matter how much you try to forget, your bodies can't "forget" things! Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh!"

He then released inside of Netto and plugged his ass to rape Saito's ass again: he took out the ball-gags and had them lick his cock before he forced them into a kiss.

"Incest is fun! And when you find a way to materialize without "Dimensional Areas" then you'll surely want to do a lot of it: the deal works well even without any S&M gear or mood. Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh… This is the 21st century! Incest doesn't matter anymore! Says the 21st century! Heh, heh, heh!"

He put the ball-gags on them again and sat on the chair to look on at how they struggled but they were trapped in that position because Forte had chained each ankle together as well to ensure they couldn't come out of that position.

"Well. It's been 13 minutes already. I think you've had more than enough for your first time. Heh, heh, heh. Once I unplug you two you'll be seeing the "white world" and will unmistakably lose consciousness. I'll disguise everything so that no – one notices what happened here, leak out the location and make my way to somewhere else. This'll be our temporary farewell 'till we meet again. By the time that happens I'll surely have tackled the "Cybernetic God" and all."

He walked over to them and loosened the ropes around the base of their cocks before taking out the vibrators and pulling out the beads: both arched their bodies as a torrent of white stuff poured out in vigorous sprouts spraying the whole of their bodies: both lost consciousness and Saito collapsed atop Netto: they obviously couldn't feel the rest of vibrations and all anymore.

"Heh, heh, heh!"

He unchained Saito and began to take out his gear: he used handkerchiefs to cleanse his stains and then used the PET to reform his bodysuit and helmet: he grinned and made his right hand glow with purplish energy as he gripped Saito's helmet and formed a pattern in the form of purplish eight-pointed-star there which then faded.

"A little parting gift from me… It'll take a while to come out but when it does… Oh. It'll be lovely. Truly." He giggled.

He then approached the "Dimensional Converter" and used his own PET to input some commands: Rock Man de-materialized and appeared inside of the PET with his eyes closed: he left it on the charger, which had been connected directly to the AC plug.

"There. Nothing to be suspected over here…"

He then cleansed Netto and removed all the gear while stuffing it on the suitcase: he put on his boxers and the pajamas while using his bandana as blindfold: he put on a pair of blankets and covered him with those while softly rubbing his jaw.

"_Happy dreams, _Hikari Netto…"

Forte then inputted some commands into the computer and giggled as he read some graphs and documents.

"Yeah… I've found a nice hideout where no-one will find me: not even the cloaked jerk. Well then… Let's let out the location through an anonymous mail to the Net Police sent from Hikari's PET."

He picked Netto's PET and wrote a mail.

"… There. It's been sent. Let's finish cleansing up. Let's check the surroundings of the beds and below them. Well. I'm sure they'll find the marks left on Hikari but they won't link them together to begin with because they can't picture a Navi having sex with two guys. That's where you're mistaken: we've evolved to this level!"

He exited into another room and found his Gospel Shuryou robot body which was connected to a "Dimensional Converters" via some wires: he ignored it and picked a mop from a cupboard to cleanse the ground below the beds and around the two beds: he entered the bathroom and threw the water into the shower's plate to dispose of that.

"Phew. That took some work. But they can't possibly get here before 11:30 AM. Heh, heh, heh."

Forte grinned and snapped his right hand's fingers to de-materialize: his robot body turned on and he unplugged the wires: the "Dimensional Converters" retreated and he picked both suitcases and a third suitcase which he loaded into a black van which he'd stored in an underground garage room.

"_Bye-bye!_"

He climbed into the driver's seat and took out a remote to lift the curtain and turned on the engine: he started up and then used the remote to lower it again: he exited outside of a building somewhere and headed for the doors signaling the perimeter.

"Open up… Open Sesame! Heh, heh, heh!"

The doors opened and he sped away through a non-paved road which headed across a small forest close by: he turned on the radio to play some music and hummed a tune.

"Heh, heh, heh… When I get there I'll re-watch _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_… I'll wait for May to come… I'll watch _Episode III_… My "parting gift" will make sure to remind them I'll eventually show up… I'm a genius. And soon I'll be - INVINCIBLE!"

_Heh, heh, heh, heh… Hah, hah, hah, hah… Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah!_


	13. Chapter 13: Finale

**Chapter 13: Finale**

11:38 AM (Japan Time), Monday March the 19th…

"… Move, move, move!"

"Roger, sir!"

The riot squad made its way into the place after using explosives to force the door into the ground.

"There, sir!"

They immediately spotted Netto, who was still lying in the bed, with the pajamas on and the bandana over his eyes as a blindfold.

"Check the adjacent rooms! Secure the area! Make sure there aren't any bobby traps!" The captain ordered.

"Roger, sir!"

The riot squad policemen moved swiftly and with effectiveness: in less than four minutes, they'd searched the whole complex and had found nothing.

"The whole area is secure, sir. It'd seem the criminal has fled the premises, however." They reported.

"You may come in!" The captain shouted.

Enzan and Laika along with Dr. Hikari rushed in and checked on Netto: Dr. Hikari gently shook him.

"Netto! Netto! It's me, your father! Say something!" He told him.

Netto didn't react: Enzan took out the blindfold and saw how his face had contracted into a painful expression as if to say he'd been in pain before losing consciousness.

"Enzan – sama, sir. Rock Man seems to have lost consciousness yet his files are all in place, sir. I guess he's tried to help his Operator yet he's been foiled or got exhausted in battle from trying to battle the criminal or something like that, sir."

"I see. We should call for an ambulance: he should be brought to the hospital and we should wait for him to wake up." Enzan suggested to Yuuichirou.

"Yeah. Guess so. Ah! By the way, Laika – kun…"

"Yes, sir?"

"No criticisms. It's not like he did stupid."

"Huh! Roger, sir. No, sir. If he's been able to hold on this far, then it's something admirable, sir."

"Good. We'll settle that later. Call for the ambulance."

"Search Man. Scan for any signatures of "Dimensional Converters" which Forte might have used."

"Roger, Laika – sama, sir."

"We found a garage and signs of a vehicle having left the premises about 2 or 3 hours ago."

"I see. So he might've fled in a van. He's bound to call for the attention so he'll be using side-roads. We should calculate how far he could've gone in any direction and set up controls."

"Good. But let's forget about the criminal for now. I'll take Rock Man with me to the Science Labs to scan his body."

"Excuse me for butting in…"

"Ah. You."

Blues and Search Man looked behind them to see the cloaked Navi standing there.

"Is the crisis over?"

"Yeah. Although the criminals are still at large…"

"We'll handle that. See you around. Maybe we'll meet again before summer begins. Take care."

16:49 PM (Japan Time)…

"… Ah…"

Enzan was sitting in a chair placed next to Netto's bed in his hospital room and watching over him.

_They've purged that muscle-affecting drug from his bloodstream and applied a regenerative treatment for his back's skin although the wounds weren't that grave. He's stable and can be discarded after two days under observation. _

"… Argh… Pain… Pain… No more… I'm gonna break these… And turn your rubbish body… into a junk heap…"

Enzan suddenly redirected his attention at Netto after having been checking some stuff regarding the stock market indexes of IPC during the last ten days: he checked the EEG monitor, which depicted a slight increase in brain activity.

_It's a nightmare, likely sequels of what's happened. And I've realized something else which the others haven't realized… I don't know if I should speak of it with him._

"… Grah… Niisan… Give me strength to survive this pain… Please… Let's be together… Together… No…! No more…! I need to let it out…! Or I'll go crazy…! It'll explode…! You bastard…! Not having enough… with making me suffer…! He's also making Saito – niisan suffer…! No…! I can't believe we're doing this…! No…! I won't…! I'll defeat you…! And we'll be free once again…" Netto muttered next while agitating on the bed but not shifting his position.

He suddenly stopped moving the EEG graphic descended: he'd entered unconsciousness again.

_He's unconscious again…_

Enzan sighed with a hint of sadness on his voice and looked at Netto's sleeping form.

_Be strong, Netto… You can do it…_

20:11 PM (Japan Time)…

_Unh… Huh…_

Netto finally opened his eyes: all was blurry at first, but he soon felt how he could move his limbs a bit: a slow repetitive mechanic sound was echoing close by.

_Where am I…? Is this a hospital…? I've been rescued, then…?_

He examined his surroundings, and spotted Enzan dozing off on a chair: he looked around and saw his brother sleeping inside of the PET II which had been placed on the side-desk and facing him: Enzan's PET was also close by but it was empty.

_Enzan! So, I'm truly saved… Niisan is still sleeping…? Maybe I can call for him… I don't see Blues on Enzan's PET, though… He must've gone to report an update._

… _Netto – kun?_

_Saito – niisan… I'm sorry. I wasn't able to protect you in the end. I feel so shameful…_

_No, I'm the one who should be feeling shameful. I stepped into such a stupid trap to begin with… I dunno what happened: guess my accumulated frustration and anger got the best of me…_

_We aren't perfect, niisan._

_I know, but… I failed you as your niisan._

_Don't think about that: you'll only get depressed._

_So? What do we do?_

_Huh? Well. Tell Enzan we're alright. I think the guy removed all traces of what he did to us…_

_Fine. Unless there was some clue left behind then I guess we needn't worry about that._

_So I'll wake up. You should wake up too._

_Alright. Papa checked my body already, so…_

"… Enzan – sama?"

Blues had returned to his PET II and was trying to wake up his master, who was dozing off.

"Huh? Eh? What? Oh… It's you, Blues." He yawned.

"You dozed off, Enzan - sama." He pointed out.

"Oh? Really? It must have been the excitement." He yawned again and rubbed his eyes.

"I wanted to comment something with Enzan - sama." Blues politely announced.

"What is it?" Enzan asked with a large yawn.

"Netto's brain wave monitor has been acting funny for the last two or three minutes. But it isn't a dream or normal consciousness this time around, it'd seem." Blues commented.

"Is that so?"

Enzan stared at the monitor and, indeed, the brain activity levels were obviously above the normal level: Enzan frowned and tried to think the reason behind it and he suddenly realized something.

"What do you make out of it?" Blues inquired.

"I think those two are having a private discussion."

"Then, it'd make sense, Enzan – sama." Blues smiled.

The brain waves shifted to "normal" to indicate that the person was conscious.

"Huh… Where…?"

"Drop the act, Netto. I know you and your brother have been discussing something. You can't hide it from the brain wave monitor: it's the give-it-away device." Enzan told him with a smirk.

"Aw! Enzan! You spoiled it!" He grinned at him and sounded like he used to sound.

"Heh. I'm glad to see you again. And I'm also glad to see you in your usual mood." Enzan told him.

"Someone told me to leave bad things behind and focus on getting back to normal." He sighed, obviously exhausted.

"It's a good counsel. Was it Saito who told you?" Enzan asked.

"Niisan? Maybe…" He frowned.

"I think it was me." Rock Man admitted from inside of the PET II.

"By the way… We found out that a "Dimensional Area" was activated in that refuge." Enzan commented.

"…Oh… _That_…"

Netto looked away, and so did Rock Man: it was clear that they did not want to talk about what had happened back there, although Enzan had an estimated idea.

"He raped you two, right?"

"… Yeah." Both looked away.

"… I guessed it. But… I won't tell anyone."

"Ah… _Thank you_, Enzan."

"You should be discarded after a pair of days."

"Alright…"

"And…"

"… I know. I need to learn to defend myself. I'll try to look around Akihara City if there's any course of that… I think there is."

"Good. By the way… We met the cloaked Navi again but…"

"You still don't know who they are?" Rock Man guessed.

"No. They simply were glad that the crisis was over and they then left saying we may meet again before the summer."

"How odd…" Netto frowned.

"Sure." Enzan shrugged.

"What about Laser Man?"

"Laser Man? He's been pretty quiet but "Darkloid" activity has been registered overseas. Thunder Man had a run-in with a guy named Bright Man but he fled before Thunder Man could properly fight them. They were trying to assault a Cyber Bank." Enzan explained.

"The jerk spoke about this Bright Man guy and made it look like they were "cool" but if they ran from a fight… Ah! Did Regal let out what he wanted to do with "Nebula"?"

"No. He's kept his trap shut. He's had a summary trial along with Yuriko and both are in prison by now. They're keeping them in a not-so-severe type of prison because they thought it'd be best to keep them isolated from each other." Enzan explained.

"Well. The guy talked a lot. He talked about some "Cybernetic God" involved in the "revival" of Regal and Yuriko, how Wily studied their genome which seemingly has been altered, and how Wily is supposed to be in Utah… And he wanted power to challenge this "Cybernetic God" guy, some Net Navi… He's supposed to appear in about two months from here and Regal wanted to use some system to create a gigantic "Dimensional Area" capable of impeding the guy from making landfall."

"What! But how would they make that?"

"Dunno. Apparently, they're building something somewhere in Akihara City but didn't get to say further."

"By the way… What's become of that Shade Man guy?" Rock Man asked.

"We don't know. He hasn't been sighted anywhere." Blues replied.

"Maybe he's in Wily's island laboratory."

"Why would the guy?" Enzan wondered.

"To build his own "Dimensional Converters" and be totally independent from Laser Man and "Nebula"…"

"Oh crap."

"And did Regal tell you that…"

"Yeah. He told us what the "Darkloids" really were. Hikari – hakase had formed a similar hypothesis too." Enzan finished.

"Guess Laser Man at least will keep them on a tight leash: it's not like he'd benefit from wiping the surface humans." Rock Man muttered.

"Don't worry about that, Saito. What happens now is that you're back with us. And I'm sure you'll soon get back to top shape." Blues placed both hands over his shoulders and smiled.

"You're right, _Buruusu_."

"Netto! You're awake?"

"Dear!"

"Whoa! Papa! Mama!"

Yuuichirou and Haruka came in next and sat next to Netto: he sat up and both hugged him.

"I'm sorry I made you worry… I always get into trouble!" He blushed and apologized.

"Don't mind that, Netto." Yuuichirou told him.

"Yes, dear… What's more important is that you're back. This tragedy is finally over… Thank goodness!"

"Ah… I think I should head back… I wouldn't want to interfere. Good-bye, Hikari – hakase and Hikari – san."

"Take care, Enzan – kun."

"Come have a cake one day." Haruka invited.

"Ah… Thank you very much."

"Heh, heh! See ya around, Enzan. Tell Laika I send my greetings: I don't doubt he's been doing his best to find me too."

"Tell Search Man I said hi." Saito requested.

"Delighted." Blues smiled.

Enzan picked his PET II and left while Netto's parents sat on the chairs nearby: Yuuichirou had opened the shutter to let some evening light inside as well.

"Whoa. I'd forgotten it was already evening… And I'd forgotten the colors of the night… Being 9 days underground has its effects on you… I think I've gotten somewhat pale too?"

"No, I don't see that."

"Phew."

"We told Meiru – chan and the others that you were alright: they'll come to visit you tomorrow morning." Haruka told him.

"So, Saito… How do you feel?"

"Well. It's good to be back in my Navi frame. I felt somewhat guilty having to hide like that but… There was no other way around. But let's try to think on positive things, Papa and Mama."

"I thought of joining a self-defense class."

"That'd do well." Yuuichirou approved of it.

"Oh my. I now remember that one of my old college friends had seen announcements of a new self-defense course in Akihara Gym which is going to begin next week's Monday." Haruka recalled.

"Whoa! _Lucky_~! Maybe I'm in time to get a place!"

"I should ask her about the details."

"We'll leave that up to you, Mama." Yuuichirou smiled at her.

"Yuuichirou – san! I think that you've lost weight these days: I think you need some home-made meals to put them back on."

"Ah… Well…" He blushed.

"Tee, heh, heh!"

"Man. I forget all about food when I work on something. I should correct that habit of mine… And about trying to skip sleeping… Last time it happened in December there was some trouble, or so Netto and the others told me…"

"It wasn't just "some" trouble, Papa! The whole shopping mall was crawling with Viruses including a Dream Virus and crazy cyber vegetation: the security footage and what niisan and the others recorded are more than enough proof!" Netto argued back.

"Jeez."

"Tee, heh, heh."

"Well. All's well if it ends well. Right?"

"Right!" Netto grinned.

"And Netto needs some home-made meatball spaghetti."

"Yum! Hum! Meatball spaghetti: SUPERB…!"

"Tee, heh, heh. And Saito needs to find out something to study."

"Well… Yeah… I'll find something." He made a weak giggle.

"See? I know what you three are in need of!" She giggled.

"Whoa. Mama sure can read us." Netto whistled.

"Never underestimate Mama!" Saito giggled.

"True. We're all a great family! Aren't we?"

The group laughed in a jovial manner: the drama was over.

**THE END**


End file.
